The Sphinx King 2: The Prides
by Magi Magi Magician Gal
Summary: FINISHED! Sequel to 'The Sphinx King'. When Ryou, Atemu and Yugi's son, discovers a sphinx that looks like him in the Outlands, he see a friend. Unfortunately, there differences in families keep them separate. Will then ever be together? RyouxBakura
1. Chapter 1

**Alverna:** After many sorry excuses, it's here. The Sphinx King 2.

**Yugi:** Here's a reminder of what the character's can change into.

Sphinx- Can change into a real lion, or lion with human head and wings, or just a human. Egyptian sphinxes have wings. (Yes, I did do my research.)

Shape-shifter- Can change form into any animal on the savannah, excluding sphinx; shifters can't do that. Or they can change into one type of animal.

**Atemu:** Alverna does not own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy.

**Alverna: **And this entire story in dedicated to Hopestar435. This person wanted me to make a sequel, so it is for them.

* * *

Parings:

Main

Tendershipping (Yami Bakura x Ryou)

Side

Blindshipping (Atemu x Yugi)

Puppyshipping (Joey x Seto)

Bronzeshipping (Marik x Malik)

* * *

Chapter 1

A lion's roar rang out as the sun rose over Egypt, and a song began to play on the breeze. Animals of all types began to make their way to the Egyptian palace: elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, antelope, hippos, and eventually humans,- all moving as the wind blew through the trees.

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala _

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala _

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala _

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_

_Night, and the spirit of life, calling (Oh, oh, iyo) _

_Mamela (Oh, oh, iyo) _

_And a voice, with the fear of a child, answers (Oh, oh, iyo) _

_Oh, mamela (Oh, oh, iyo)_

A man with silver hair and amber eyes stood on a balcony of the palace. His name was Pegasus, and he took the form of a baboon while he worked. But today for this task, he was human.

"Ubukhosi bo khokho." Pegasus called out, his voice leading the animals and people to gather below him. "We ndodana ye sizwe sonke."

_Wait. There's no mountain too great (Oh, oh, iyo) _

_Hear the words and have faith (Oh, oh, iyo) _

_Have faith _

_(Hela hey mamela, hela hey mamela, hela hey mamela, hela hey mamela)_

As everyone gathered the spirits of the past pharaoh's could be seen by all. The most prominent, was the last Pharaoh, Aknankanon. Pegasus raised his arms to the last Pharaoh, and gestured to all the animals bellow, the wind following his movements.

As the animals and people felt the spirit of Aknankanon blow past of the wing, they bowed, honoring the one who had ruled them justly for so long.

_He lives in you. He lives in me_

_He watches over. Everything we see_

_Into the water. Into the truth_

_In your reflection. He lives in you _

Doors behind Pegasus opened, and many people stepped out. The first six were the high priest of the pharaoh's court, Mahad, Karim, Shada, Isis, Mana, and Seth. They were followed by Mokuba, Seth's younger brother, and Joey, Seth's new mate.

Last of the arrivals were Pharaoh Atemu and his mate Yugi, who was holding their newborn son, Ryou, who was very alert.

Ryou had startlingly white hair and soft chocolate brown eyes that Yugi knew would be able to get many things he wanted from the palace servants, and possibly his father.

Pegasus smiled and gently took Ryou from Yugi's arms and held him up before the assembled crowd. As the people cheer, and Atemu, Yugi, and the rest on the balcony are blown by the wind from the approving figure of Aknankanon.

_He lives in you. He lives in me_

_He watches over. Everything we see_

_Into the water. Into the truth_

_In your reflection. He lives in you_

As the wind blew past Ryou, he struggled playfully in Pegasus's grip, his small arms popping free from under the blanket he was wrapped in as the elephants stomped and sent birds flying past.

After much cheering from the crowd, Pegasus lowered the boy and waved the staff he had placed next to him over the child's head. After glowing, a crown with The Millennium Symbol appeared on his forehead. Placing Ryou back in Yugi's arms, the new parents cooed over their child softly as the court watched.

"Ah Mokuba," Joey sighed at the sight. "Look at that little guy. A chip off the old block! And you gotta know who's gonna raise him."

"His parents?" the half sphinx half shifter asked with an eye roll.

"Okay sure, get technical." Joey rolled his eyes right back. "But who's gonna teach him the really important stuff? Like how to belch?"

"And dig for grubs?" Mokuba grinned, caching on.

"Yep." Joey praised his brother-in-law. "I'm telling ya, buddy... it's gonna be like old times. You, me, and the little guy."

"It is a girl." Atemu chuckled.

"Girl…" Joey repeated.

Then it sunk in.

"Girl?" Mokuba and Joey shouted in unison, before collapsing in a dead faint.

"How long should we wait to tell them Ryou really is a boy?" Yugi asked with a giggle as Karim carried Mokuba bridal style back inside while Seth took one of Joey's ankles and simply dragged him.

"I don't know." Atemu smirked. "I'm actually enjoying this."

* * *

**A/N:** This next part I'm assuming is a deleted scene. It was in the script I copied online, so I'm sticking it in.

* * *

Thunder and wind blew across the land, much like it had on the night after Atemu's presentation to the people and animals of Egypt. Inside a baobab tree home, Pegasus was busy painting a new sphinx cub on the tree. Next to it was the older drawing of a full-grown Atemu.

"Ahh, Ryou." Pegasus laughed as wind began to blow his hair wildly, signifying Aknankanon's presence. "Oh Aknankanon! Such a day this has been! Prince Ryou's birth, another Circle of Life is complete, and Egypt's future is once again secure."

As Pegasus put the final touches on the painting, the wind blew at it, scattering some of the markings.

"Aaah! Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Pegasus cried out in alarm. "Aknankanon- look what you are doing! The Circle is broken now. Why do you- Ooh... there is trouble in the Pride Lands."

A sudden realization suddenly struck him as he studied the markings toward the edge of the painting; at a rough sphinx figure.

"There is another cub? Hmm... where could this be?" Pegasus muttered to himself as the wind blew past and out towards a section of Egypt that was a barren desert, with strange rock formations everywhere. "In the Outlands. But that is where Atemu banished Aknadin's followers. Including his most loyal… Anzu."

* * *

-Time Skip, 3 years-

* * *

"Rrrah!"

An insect had made the mistake of landing on the ground. It had immediately been pounced on by a sphinx cub, when in human form would appear to be about 12 years of age. This sphinx cub had pale fur that was dirty so it actually looked brown, white semi-spiky hair, and dark brown eyes. If you didn't know any better, you could say his eyes were black.

This cub peaked in his paws to see the insect buzzing. Smiling, he opened his paws, and let the bug fly away.

"Bakura!" a female voice snapped as she snatching the insect from the air, and smashed it to the ground. "Don't let it go. What's the matter with you?"

This was a female sphinx, who a slightly worse for wear. She had brown shoulder length hair, blue eyes, and a bad attitude every single day of the week. She was Anzu.

"But Mother!" Bakura protested. "It wasn't hurting anyone!"

"There is no room for weakness here, my son." Anzu growled as she moved closer and pulled the cub against her. "Remember, Aknadin is your father."

"But I don't even know him" Bakura muttered, still upset about the bug.

"No..." Anzu agreed. "You never had that chance. But he chose you to become the next Pharaoh should his first born refuse. And refuse he did!"

"But why?" Bakura asked.

"Who knows." Anzu released Bakura and began to swat at the ground, railing against fate, "But when you rule, we shall no longer be forced to live in these dry, barren, disgusting, pathetic, termite-infested Outlands!"

Bakura looked down in quiet agreement. He had been born right after the banishment, so he didn't know any other life. But life in the Outlands wasn't exactly the greatest.

Suddenly, two other sphinxes came bounding up. The older of the two by a year was Marik. He had white-blond hair that seemed to resemble having a porcupine on his head and lavender eyes.

The second, a couple weeks older than Bakura, was Malik. Malik had the same colored hair as Marik except his hair lay flat, and lilac colored eyes.

Despite the two looking like one another, they weren't related.

"Anzu!" Marik gasped. "We were in the boundaries. We saw-!"

"In the boundaries we saw everything!" Malik picked up as Marik doubled over for air. "We saw Atemu's child!"

"What?" Anzu gasped. "Malik, what did you see?"

"Atemu's child is a male!" Malik shouted with glee. "But he's so gentle he couldn't hurt a fly!"

"This couldn't be more perfect." Anzu cackled. "Aknadin, my beloved… did you hear?"

"Who's she talking to?" Marik asked as he finally got his breath back.

"Ssshhh." Malik hissed. "Aknadin."

"Aknadin's dead genius." Marik rolled his eyes at the younger.

"Yes!" Anzu snapped, having heard the conversation. "Because of Atemu. If not for him, Aknadin would still be Pharaoh. And I, Anzu, would be his loving, devoted Queen!"

"You know, speaking of Pharaohs…" Marik paused knowing he was treading on thin ice. "I was thinking, since I am the oldest... maybe I should be Pharaoh! Huh?"

"Don't be a fool, Marik." Anzu glared.

"Just a thought." Marik chuckled weakly as he rolled over submissively on his back.

"Bakura is the chosen one." Anzu continued. "We must fulfill Aknadin's dying wish, and train Bakura to become Pharaoh."

"Oh, yeah." Marik sighed. "I guess I can do that."

Anzu ignored him and climbed up on a rock point to gaze out over the land. The others follow carefully behind her.

"Look at the land, my pets." Anzu said as he looked to where the edge of the boundaries of Atemu's kingdom was. "So green... so inviting. That is our home… where we belong. And soon, my beloved Aknadin… we shall reclaim your kingdom."

* * *

Here's translations.

_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_- A lion and a leopard come to this open place

_Mamela_- Listen

Ubukhosi bo khokho.- Throne of the ancestors.

We ndodana ye sizwe sonke.- Oh, son of the nation

* * *

And here's to clear some things up.

Mana has replaced Aknadin as High Priest. She wears the Millennium Eye on a chain around her neck, but is still able to activate its powers.

I'm going to say this now, Anzu was Aknadin's concubine, so she was leader of the rebellion against Atemu when he claimed the throne, not intent on giving up her life of ease. Since she was pregnant with Bakura, Atemu banished Anzu and instead of killing her.

* * *

**Alverna:** What do you think?

**Bakura:** I'm in it!

**Alverna:** Yeah.

**Marik: **Me too!

**Alverna:** Oh boy.

**Ryou:** Please review and let us know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alverna:** It's here! Chapter 2! Dedicated to yugiohgirlkasha516. You're review inspired me to get off my butt and get this chapter done.

**Bakura:** Finally!

**Ryou:** Ignore him. He's still sore about not being in 'The Sphix King'.

**Alverna:** I originally planned for him to be in the sequel, so QUIT COMPLAINING!

**Marik:** She's scarey.

**Alverna:** Malik, disclaimer.

**Alverna:** Alverna does not own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 2

Back at the palace, a young boy who looked to be about twelve years old, raced out onto a balcony to see the view of Egypt

"Wow." Ryou giggled and changed into his sphinx form, ready to jump onto a pile of laundry below.

Ryou had grown over the past three years. He had his mother's, Yugi's, pale skin and gentle nature, but his father's, Atemu's, height, and was probably going to pass him after hitting puberty. His white hair ran down to his shoulders, and his chocolate brown eyes often imitated Yugi's puppy dog look when he wanted something.

Anyway, before he could jump, a pair of hands grabbed him from behind and set him back on the floor, prompting him to change back to a human.

"Where do you think you're going in such a hurry?" Atemu playfully asked his son, who was wriggling in his grasp.

"Daddy!" Ryou giggled as his father gently tickled him. "Let go!"

"Well, I just want you to be careful." the pharaoh responded, and sighed as he saw Ryou trying to catch a butterfly; so he gripped his son's shoulder to keep his attention. "Ryou, are you listening? Accidents can happen. You could easily get hurt, or stepped-"

"...Hurt, or stepped on, or even get lost." Ryou said the well-practiced line along with his father, and finished it for him.

"And remember…" Atemu paused, making sure he had his son's attention, "I want you to stay in sight of the palace at all-"

"At all times, I know." Ryou growled, a bit testy at the warning before he continued reciting. "And if I see any strangers, don't talk to them. Come straight home. Okay, okay. Can I go now? Please?"

"Hmm." Atemu chuckled at Ryou's pleading and smiling face as Yugi and Mahad came outside to see what was going on. "Very funny."

Ryou's expression reminded him of the time himself and his mate had played out this scene with his mother, Thema, when they wanted to sneak out to see a thief's village in an elephant graveyard.

"Mind your father, Ryou." Yugi chuckled along with his husband.

"Yes, mom." Ryou giggled some more.

"And stay away from the Outlands." Atemu added, growing more serious.

"Nothing there but a bunch of backstabbing, murderous Outsiders!" Mahad grumbled as he changed to his sphinx form and took off from the balcony for the morning survey of the land.

"Mahad's right." Atemu agreed as he recalled the time the sphinxes were banished. "You can't turn your back on them."

_Flashback_

"_You will be, from this day and forevermore, banished from the good lands of Kehmet and live out in the Outland." Atemu declared to the beaten group of sphinxes that still believed Aknadin was in the right. _

"_What?" Anzu, Aknadin's concubine, exclaimed. "But I am with child!" _

"_Which is why you are being banished instead of executed." Atemu responded. "But if anyone of you is seen back in this area, you will need to give up one pound of flesh, of your kill." _

"_That's outrageous!" another sphinx called out. _

"_No." Yugi growled back as he stood firm at Atemu's side. "It's justice. It was your own choice to fight, and now you must bear the consequences." _

"_Lead them out." Atemu called to his remaining High Priest, as well as Joey, and then turned to see if he could get a warm bath. _

_A snarl reached his ears, and by the time he had turned around, Yugi had knocked Anzu down to the ground. It didn't take much to figure the sphinxess had tried to attack Atemu when his back had been turned. _

"_Get out!" Yugi snarled, making Anzu flinch. _

_Getting up, the banished company quickly left, but not before Anzu swore her revenge. _

"_I won't make that mistake again." Atemu sighed as he held Yugi close under his wing. _

_End Flashback_

"Really?" Ryou's voice brought Atemu out of his thoughts. "How come?"

"Never mind." Atemu shook his head. "Just run along now."

"But Dad, I-" Ryou protested.

"You'll understand someday." Atemu interrupted gently. "Go on."

"Dad…" Ryou half groaned half teased as he hugged his parents.

With another chuckled, Atemu gently slapped Ryou's back as he ran out the gates of the palace, giggling, and changing into his sphinx form as he went.

"And stay on the path I've marked for you!" Atemu called at Ryou's retreating form.

"Atemu." Yugi chuckled at his loves actions. "Who does he remind you of? Hmm?"

"Huh?" Atemu responded cluelessly, then realized Yugi was talking to him. "What? Who?"

"He's just like you were when you were young." Yugi chuckled as he snuggled with the pharaoh.

"Exactly." Atemu agreed. "Do you realize the dangers we put ourselves in?"

Yugi rolled his eyes and tackled Atemu onto his back, much like when they were cubs.

"You mean the dangers _you_ put us in." Yugi reminded him as they chuckled and kissed. "He'll be fine."

The two stood up and Yugi went back inside with one last smile at Atemu. Atemu smiled back and waited until he was certain Yugi was out of earshot before calling to two people down the hallway.

"Hey, Joey. Mokuba." the mentioned two turned at their ruler's voice. "Come here."

"Good morning, my pharaoh." Joey called as he dragged Mokuba behind him.

In the last year, Mokuba had fully matured into a sphinx, and a shifter, looking to be about age 16, while Joey looked to be about age 18.

"I want you to keep a close watch on Ryou." Atemu told them and sighed. "You know he's bound to run off."

"No worries, Atemu." Joey responded. "We're on him like stink on a warthog!"

"Hey!" Mokuba protested. Warthog was his most favorite animal to shift to.

"It's the hard truth, Mokuba." Joey grinned as he dodged the younger shifter's fist. "Live with it."

"Guys, I'm counting on you." Atemu said solemnly. "Danger could be lurking behind every rock."

Joey looked at his friend quizzically for a moment, and then took him mock-seriously as the pharaoh went back inside.

"What are you doing?" Mokuba asked as the exited the palace.

"Looking behind every rock." Joey responded as he looked behind another bolder.

"Oi vey." Mokuba sighed.

* * *

Oblivious to what just happened, Ryou was out chasing a butterfly on the open savannah.

"Hey! Wait!" Ryou called as the colorful bug kept out of his reach. "Come back! I just want to play!"

With a few more hops, Ryou watches the butterfly land on a rock, and got ready to pounce on the insect.

"The mighty hunter has cornered his prey." Ryou talked to himself as he stalked closer before leaping. "Errrrh! Huh?"

Ryou's pounce had landed him on the rock, from which he could see a dry and barren land that was on the other side of the Nile River.

"Whoa... cool!" Ryou gasped as he stared at The Outlands for the first time. "The Outlands! I wonder what's out there."

Behind Ryou, some rustling in the grass drew his attention. Turning, Ryou screamed as the grass separated. Joey and Mokuba were a little too close for comfort. Hadn't those two ever heard of personal space? Joey and Mokuba also yelled in fright and surprise.

Ryou stumbled backward and fell off the far side of the rock he was on and into a small pond below. Seeing the young prince disappear, Joey leapt into action.

"Don't worry, Ryou!" Joey called as he sprang after the young sphinx. "Uncle Joey is coming!"

"Oh no." Mokuba groaned as he got wee, stutter a second, and then pretends he talking to Atemu. "Gee, Atemu. The good news is we found your son. The bad news is we dropped a shifter on him. Is… there a problem with that?"

"Ryou?" Joey asked as he looked from side to side in the water, failing to notice the bubbles underneath him. "Ryou?"

"Joey!" Mokuba called with an annoyed look. "Let me define… "babysitting"!"

"Oops!" Joey jumped up, letting Ryou surface for air, spluttering as he glared at the shifter. "Sorry."

"Now Prince Ryou," Mokuba scolded as Ryou climbed out of the water and shook off, "as Atemu's son, you know better than to go off all alone. You could have been hurt!"

"But... but..." Ryou attempted to protest but was interrupted

"Hurt!" Joey stopped wringing out his clothes to check if Ryou is intact. "Oh... Atemu would kill us! You didn't slip a disc, did you?"

"B-but-" Ryou tried again.

"Catch a fever?" Joey felt Ryou's forehead before moving to his claws. "Get a hangnail?"

"Nnngh!" Ryou pulled his paw away and changed back to his human form with a frown. "Joey!"

"I had one once." Joey defended as he raised his arms in surrender.

"_Very_ painful." Mokuba added sarcastically.

"Excruciating!" Joey responded as he held a fern branch over Ryou's head, shading him. "Darling… with your complexion, you should stay out of the sun."

Ryou growled and swatted the branch away, annoyance written on his face.

"Whaaat?" Joey protested as he turned to pick up the branch. "Do you want sunburn?"

"Would someone please just listen to me?" Ryou asked, half shouting.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't listening." Joey turned back, branch in hand. "Did you say something, Prince Ryou?"

"I'm not just a prince, you know." Ryou exclaimed, repeating what his parents had told him many times. "That's only half of who I am!"

"Who's the other half?" Mokuba asked, but Ryou stuttered, unable to answer.

"Well, while you're figuring it out, let's eat." Joey walked over to a log and rolled it over. "Grubs!"

"The other white meat!" Mokuba added.

"And so high in protein!" Joey finished as he offered a bunch of grubs on a leaf to Ryou.

"Eww!" Ryou recoiled from the bugs. "Gross!"

"Your dad said the exact same thing when we first introduced him to this stuff." Joey grinned. "But as it turns out, he loves them. How 'bout you, Mokie? "

"Aaah." Mokuba sighed as he inhaled the scent of insects. "Love grubs!"

"Not like…" Joey smiled as he did the same. "Love!"

Mokuba tossed a bug into his mouth, before coughing and spitting the bug out on the dirt.

"You've been doing that a lot." Joey took a few steps back, a bit grossed out. "It's driving me crazy!"

"But you can't tell which ones are the slimy ones from the outside!" Mokuba complained.

"Slimy?" Joey chuckled as he snatched up a beetle and popped it into his mouth. Mokuba it's the crunchy ones that make the meal!"

"Slimy!" Mokuba argued.

"Crunchy!" Joey argued back.

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

"Slimy!"

"Crunchy!"

Ryou rolled his eyes as the two went back and forth. They almost were as bad as Joey and High Priest/Uncle Seth. Their arguments were legendary. Then a light bulb clicked, and he slowly began to slip off, and then picked up the pace.

"Less filling!"

"Tastes good!"

"Less filling!"

"Tastes good!"

"Less filling!"

"Tastes good!"

"Less filling!"

"Tastes good!"

Soon the sound of the argument faded as he left the two behind. Leaving the marked trial his father had made, Ryou changed back into his sphinx form, went into the grass, and crossed the Nile River on a fallen log. Unfortunately, he didn't see the end due to his eyes turned up to look at the termite mounds. Tumbling off, Ryou hit something and knocked it over. From the way it grunted and felt furry, it was an animal.

Shaking his head, Ryou heard snarling, and turned to see a sphinx cub that looked like him, only rougher, kind of like his parents.

"Who are you, palace trash?" the cub kept growling as he advanced on Ryou, who was now pretty scared.

Ryou didn't answer, but jumped from side to side, staying facing the cub at all times as his father's words echoed in his ears.

"What are you doing?" the cub finally asked as he stopped growling, curiosity gets the better of him.

"My father says to never turn your back on an Outsider!" Ryou snarled, showing a bit of his father's temper.

"You always do what Daddy says?" the rugged sphinx asked tauntingly.

"No!" Ryou snapped.

"Bet you do." he clapped his wings together and laughed. "Bet you're Daddy's little boy!"

"No I don't!" Ryou snarled again. "I came here when he told me not to."

"Sure." the cub snickered with an eye roll, hopping onto logs on the river. "An Outsider doesn't need anybody. I take care of myself!"

"Really?" Ryou asked in awe as he followed. "Cool! And I'm Ryou."

"Bakura." Bakura finally gave his name as he turned back to look at Ryou, before noticing the Nile Crocodile rising up behind him with its mouth gaping open. "Waaaahh!"

"Aaaaahhh! Run!" Ryou screamed when he was the crocodile's teeth just behind them. "This way!"

Ryou lead as he leapt from rock to rock across the river and out of the reach of the crocodiles' jaws, Bakura close behind. They stopped to rest on some unmoving stones further down, and begin to pant and giggle.

"That was a close one." Bakura chuckled.

"Yeah…" Ryou let out a small giggle as the "stones" they're sitting on rise up and reveal themselves as more crocodile.

Screaming, Ryou leapt onto a dead tree limb, getting out of reach; Bakura ran past, leaping from crocodile to crocodile down the river.

"Hey… what about me?" Ryou called.

"You gotta take care of yourself!" Bakura called back as he kept dodging the jaws. "I'll distract them. Run!"

Things were going well for Bakura until the last crocodile lifted its tail, forcing Bakura off before slapping it's tail down on top of him. Thankfully Bakura was able comes up for air, gasping as the crocodiles loom over him.

"Look out!" Ryou called as the crocodile he was swiping at with his claws left.

But Bakura seemed to be paralyzed by fright at the sight of the gaping mouth in front of him. Suddenly, it was clamped shut by Ryou, who leapt on top of it.

"Move it!" Ryou gasped, getting Bakura to scramble up another tree branch and jump to safety on the good side of Egypt.

Ryou followed, but was stalled for a few seconds as a crocodile clamped down on the branch, making it shake. Whimpering, Ryou leapt onto dry ground, and out of reach of danger.

* * *

**Joey:** You're ending it there?

**Alverna:** Yes.

**Serenity:** Reviews = happy writer, which = faster updates

* * *

One last thing, the rate Sphinxes and Shifters age.

Sphinxes age 4 years for one year of life for the first five years of there lives. Then they mature like humans, one year at a time, for the rest of there lives.

Shifters age 3 years per year the first five years of their life, then like a sphinx, they mature like humans.


	3. Chapter 3

**Alverna:** Chapter 3! And sorry I ended the last chapter where I did, but it would have been to long otherwise.

**Yugi:** I'm sure they'll forgive you. You're updating this chapters a lot faster.

**Alverna:** Yeah, I'm inspired and in a writing mood right now.

**Atemu:** Alverna does not own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

Ryou and Bakura pant and rest for a few moments, and then move back to look over the edge of the river. The crocodiles were massing below, furious at being cheated of their meal.

"I did it..." Ryou whispered quietly in realization, proclaimed it louder, and blew the crocs a raspberry. "I did it! Thhppbbts!"

"Hah!" Bakura laughed at the crocs as the two moved back and recounted their adventure.

"Whoah, man! Did you see the size of those teeth?" Ryou asked as he rolled onto his back, imitating the crocs. "They were going 'Rrrarrarrarr' He was just totally eating you up right there, and I jumped on his head- and I bopped him so good!"

Unknown to the two, Anzu was crouching in the grass some distance away, watching. She had discovered Bakura missing from their 'home', with Marik still there teasing Malik.

"We make such a good team! And you..." Ryou slowed down. "You were really brave!"

"Yeah, you were pretty brave too." Bakura replied. "And in case you forgot in all that excitement, my name is Bakura."

"I'm Ryou" Ryou giggled.

Anzu growled as Ryou giggled. He crouched down playfully, waving his tail as he reached out and batted Bakura.

"Tag! You're it!" Ryou jumped back, laughing, but got no chasing out of Bakura, so he tried again. "Tag! You're it! You're it!"

Bakura still gave no response. He just stared at Ryou with a slight look of confusion on his face. Was this supposed to be a training exercise of some sort?

"Hello? You run, I tag... get it?" Ryou asked, trying to explain. "What's the matter? Don't you know how to play?"

At Bakura's raised eyebrow, Ryou tried something else. He crouches down and goes back to playing his style, bared teeth and growling. Bakura got the idea. Ryou wanted to play. He gave a mock-growl back to Ryou, but suddenly he finds himself under Anzu, in her lion form, as she jumped out of the grass, roaring.

Ryou gasped and backed up as Atemu, also in lion form, bounded up, placing himself between Anzu and his cub as he roared back.

"Anzu." Atemu growled as the two changed back to their sphinx forms.

"Atemu!" Anzu replied with a sinister tone as another growl caught her attention. "Yugi."

"Anzu." Yugi growled back as he pulled Ryou under him, lowering his wings to shield his son from the sphinxess' line of sight.

Anzu grinned and readied herself to attack, but stopped when she saw the sacred court, plus Joey and Mokuba standing behind Atemu and Yugi, also growling.

"Joey, mate of High Priest Seth." Joey greeted in the form of a 'Flame Swordsman'. "Great. Now that we all know each other… GET OUTTA OUR HOMELAND!"

"Your Homeland? Anzu snarled at Joey, but he didn't even flinch, just touch a battle position as Anzu turned her attention back to Atemu. "These lands belonged to Aknadin."

"I banished you from these lands!" Atemu said with authority. "Now you and your young cub... get out!"

"Oh... haven't you met my son, Bakura?" Anzu asked as she fiend niceness. "He was hand-chosen by Aknadin to follow in his paw prints... and become Pharaoh! That is, if Seth should refuse. And he did."

Everyone looked at Bakura, who started shaking at all the stares.

"That's not a Pharaoh." Joey shook his head with an eye roll. "That's a fuzzy maraca!"

"Bakura was born just after you exiled us to the Outlands." Anzu snarled as she started pacing. "Where we have little food, less water..."

"You know the penalty for returning to these lands!" Atemu snapped.

"But the child does not!" Anzu snapped back before turning to her son. "However... if you need your pound of flesh... here."

Ryou gasped as she nudged Bakura in from of his father. Atemu looked down at the cowering cub, and back to Anzu, recognizing the look in her eye. She was daring him to show either ruthlessness or cowardice.

"Take him and get out." Atemu backed away, not intent on having a repeat of the banishment. "We're finished here."

Atemu went to his son as he changed to his lion form, and picked him up by the scruff of his neck with his teeth. Anzu walked over to Atemu and looked down at the terrified Ryou.

"Oh no, Atemu." Anzu chuckled wickedly. "We have barely begun."

Anzu glared wickedly at Ryou, who gasped in fright. She then turned, changed to her lion form and picked up Bakura around his middle in her jaws.

"Bye." Ryou whispered sadly, watching Bakura as they were moved apart.

"Bye." Bakura whispered back, getting the feeling it would be a long time before he saw his friend again.

* * *

A few minutes later, within sight of the palace, Atemu stopped at the top of a hill.

"Atemu?" Yugi looked back when he noticed his husband had stopped.

Atemu cleared his throat, since Ryou still in his mouth. Yugi smiled back at him, knowing full well that it's time for 'The Talk', probably something along the lines of what Aknankanon had given Atemu after they had snuck off.

As the pride left the two, Atemu placed Ryou on a rock and changed back to his sphinx form. Ryou grinned innocently up at his father, but Atemu glared back sternly. Ryou looked down at the ground, sighing.

"Ryou, what did you think you were doing?" Atemu scolded "You could have been killed out there today."

"But Daddy, I-" Ryou stuttered, trying to explain. "I didn't mean to disobey-"

"I'm telling you this because I love you." Atemu interrupted. "I don't wanna lose you."

"I know..." Ryou sighed.

"If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do." Atemu sighed and started a small speech he had prepared if this should happen. "One day I won't be here... and I need you to carry on in my place. You are part of the great Circle of-"

"Circle of Life." Ryou finished, having heard it before. "I know."

"Exactly." Atemu nodded as he put one of his wings over his son and drew him close. "And you need to be careful. As future Pharaoh-"

"But what if I don't wanna be Pharaoh?" Ryou shouted as he got out from under his father's wing, sulking. "It's no fun."

"That's like saying you don't want to be a sphinx." Atemu smiled softy. "It's in your blood… as I am. We are part of each other."

"Humph." Ryou lifted his nose up as Atemu playfully pushed him off the rock.

Shaking his head as plant seeds floated up around him, Ryou looked back at his father, who raised an eyebrow grinned down to him. Ryou grinned back, and they nuzzled each other.

With a soft chuckle as the wind gently blew around them, Atemu started to sing.

_As you go through life you'll see_

_There is so much that we_

_Don't understand_

Together they watched a young bird attempting to fly, but its mother wasn't to keen about the idea as she hearded her chick back to the nest. Ryou sighed in disappointment, knowing how the chick felt.

_And the only thing we know_

_Is things don't always go_

_The way we planned _

_But you'll see every day_

_That we'll never turn away_

_When it seems all your dreams come undone_

Atemu led his son to a top of a hill and used his wind to point to a wildebeest calf that was trying to get up for the first time. Watching, Ryou grinned happily as the calf bucked around before being led back to safety by its mother.

_We will stand by your side_

_Filled with hope and filled with pride_

_We are more than we are_

_We are one_

Atemu led the way down a hill and across a river as they saw some monkeys grooming each other, and a baby hippo jumping from back to back of other hippos, playing. Watching the families around him, Ryou sang to his reflection in the river as his father past him on the log they were on.

_If there's so much I must be_

_Can I still just be me_

_The way I am? _

Ryou pulled back as a fish jumped out of the water and into his reflection.

_Can I trust in my own heart_

_Or am I just one part_

_Of some big plan?_

Ryou watched some bird fly over head before his eyes landed on his father, standing on a dead tree. Going to join him, the wind blew past as Atemu started singing again.

_Even those who are gone_

_Are with us as we go on_

_Your journey has only begun _

_Tears of pain, tears of joy_

_One thing nothing can destroy_

_Is our pride, deep inside_

_We are one_

Leaping off the tree, the two sphinxes ran through groups of curiously, unafraid, animals, many with their young. Atemu often slowed so Ryou could keep up as they approach the palace.

_We are one, you and I_

_We are like the earth and sky_

_One family under the sun_

Running up the path, Atemu stopped as Ryou caught up.

_All the wisdom to lead_

_All the courage that you need_

_You will find when you see_

_We are one_

Atemu indicated the palace to his son. Ryou squinted at his home, trying to see what his father was talking about. Atemu noticed his son's confusion, and looked back at the palace. But he understood what it was he was thinking and went back to his son's side.

"As long as you live here, it's who you are." Atemu said as he hugged Ryou, kissing the top of his head, noticing he seemed unconvinced. "You'll understand someday."

Atemu went back inside, trusting the guards to keep an eye on Ryou.

Ryou sighed before smiling as the baby bird fluttered by him, circles, and flew off over Egypt and into the sunset.

Ryou looked sadly thoughtful for a second as he watched. At least the bird could come and go as it please, but he was still stuck with the royal life.

* * *

**Alverna:** And that the end of this one. Again, you're probably wondering why I'm leaving it there.

**Seto:** You just didn't want to end with Anzu singing "My Lullaby".

**Alverna:** Yep. That's next chapter. And has anyone figured out why I chose Marik to play Nuka's role?

**Joey:** ME!

**Mokuba:** Really?

**Joey:** No.

**Serenity:** Please Review. It makes Alverna really happy to see people like her stories.


	4. Chapter 4

**Alverna:** Chapter 4. Ugh.

**Seto:** You had as much fun typing this chapter as you did chapter 7 of 'The Little Merman 2'.

**Alverna:** No kidding.

**Atemu:** Lay off her. It's not even the hard part of the story yet.

**Alverna: **Don't remind me.

**Yugi:** Alverna does not own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy!

**Alverna: **Clarifying one thing, Marik and Malik are not Anzu's sons. Marik was a year old at the time of Anzu's rebellion, taken out with his exiled parents. Malik was a newborn who was kidnapped by a female sphinx in Anzu's company, so he doesn't know who his real parents are. Don't ask who his parents are, that get's told later in the story. -cought-last-chapter-cough-

* * *

Chapter 4

* * *

The Outlands were a dry and barren land, no greenery, barley any water, and lots of termite mounds that were really tall because the insect eaters didn't want to brave the heat, or the sphinxes, to get a meal.

Many of the sphinxes were fighting over scraps of meat from their latest kill. Malik was tugging at a root with his teeth, growling and having already eaten. That was one of the pride rules, the cubs eat first.

"Bakura, Bakura, Bakura." Marik grumbled as he approached Malik from behind. "He always gets the attention. Oh hey, Malik. Where's the little termite, Bakura? The 'chosen one'."

Malik ignored Marik's sarcasm, not noticing Marik take out one of his claws until he touched the root with a claw he was fighting with. Marik laughed as it snapped, sending Malik tumbling backward.

"Marik, where's Bakura?" Malik snarled as he got to his feet and approached the four year old sphinx. "Did you leave him out there on his own again?"

"Hey, it's every sphinx for himself out here!" Marik snapped back as he scratched himself to relieve him from the itch the termites were causing him. "That little termite's gotta learn to be on his own."

"Anzu's gonna be mad." Malik growled. "She told you to watch him!"

"Oh, who cares? I should've been the one chosen to be the nest pharaoh." Marik replied with gritted teeth as he began to scratch his back against a tree trunk. "I'm the oldest, I'm the strongest, I'm the smartest, and oooh! These termites!"

Marik started to roll around, scratch, and nibble every place on his body he could find. Malik felt very satisfied seeing Marik in that condition, what with the constant teasing and all.

"I could be a leader if she'd just give me a chance!" Marik roared as he pushed himself on his back to try and relieve his itching.

"Yeah right." Malik scoffed in disbelief. "Why don't you tell that to her?"

"Yeah?" Marik glared and accepted the challenge. "Don't think I won't!"

"Oh yeah?" Malik chuckled as something caught his eye. "Here's your chance."

"What?" Marik followed Malik's line of sight to see Anzu coming back, carrying Bakura in her mouth. "Oh... Anzu! Anzu, hi! Anzu, I caught some field mice for your dinner, I left 'em by the, um... by the... okay."

Malik rolled his eyes at the sight of Anzu, still in her lion form, walking past Marik, ignoring his blather, but grinned when she dropped Bakura next to him.

"Hey, Bakura." Malik mock-snarled, making his companion look at him earnestly. "You want to fight?"

"You were supposed to be watching him!" Anzu snarled as he turned on Marik, who shrank back in fear of the sphinxess.

"It's not his fault!" Bakura protested. "I went off on my own!"

"What were you doing?" Anzu snapped, making Bakura fall onto his back.

"N-nothing!" Bakura stuttered as he pushed himself away.

"Who has made us Outsiders?" Anzu bore down on her son.

"Atemu!" Bakura gasped in fright.

"Who killed Aknadin?" Anzu snarled.

"Atemu!" Bakura gasped out again.

"What have I told you about _them_?" Anzu shouted the last word, making Bakura curl up in fright.

"I'm sorry, mother!" Bakura stuttered. "He didn't seem so bad. I thought we could be-"

"Friends?" Anzu interrupted and began to pace around Bakura. "You thought you'd get to the son. And Atemu would welcome you with open arms? What an idea!"

Stopping Anzu reconsider, and smiled as he pulled Bakura close.

"What an idea! You brilliant child. I'm so proud of you!" Anzu purred as she kneaded a frightened Bakura with unsheathed claws. "You have the same conniving mind that made Aknadin so... powerful."

"Yecch." Marik mumbled to himself.

Unfortunately, Anzu heard him, so she glared and snarled at Marik before picking Bakura back up. As she walked into a large termite mound, Marik sulked.

"Chosen one." Marik growled in disgust before following.

Anzu carried Bakura into the "den", and deposits him in a hollow tree trunk. Bakura landed with a grunt, and looked up to see his mother, now back in her sphinx form, looking at him proudly.

"I now see the path to our glorious return to power!" Anzu raved as some sphinxes watched, interested in the plan.

"But I don't want-" Bakura tried to speak up.

"Hush!" Anzu snapped, and changed her tone to a softer, more 'loving' sound. "Hush, my little one. You must be exhausted."

Anzu began to sing, making sure Bakura was tucked in for the night.

_Sleep, my little Bakura_

_Let your dreams take wing_

_One day when you're big and strong_

_You will be a king_

"Good night..." Bakura whispered as Anzu began to leave the room.

"Good night, my little prince." Anzu replied. "Tomorrow, your training intensifies."

Leaping up onto rocks to emphasize her words, Anzu growled the first part of her song.

_I've been exiled, persecuted_

_Left alone with no defense_

_When I think of what that brute did_

_I get a little tense_

Anzu flashed her claws in the setting sun as she recalled Atemu's declaration of banishment from the good lands of Egypt. But her tone changed as she danced past some other sphinxes and leapt onto another ledge, letting the rock scratch her back.

_But I dream a dream so pretty_

_That I don't feel so depressed_

_'Cause it soothes my inner kitty_

_And it helps me get some rest _

Looking down at all the other sphinxes, Anzu watched as Marik emphasized the next part, dragging in Malik to help him with the part about Ryou. His reward was a few well placed kicks in the face.

_The sound of Atemu's dying gasp_

_His child squealing in my grasp_

_His precious husband's mournful cry_

_That's my lullaby _

Anzu watched as a line of termites marched by her paws. Moving her fingers with them, she smashed down on the insects with a small snarl.

_Now the past I've tried forgetting_

_And my foes I could forgive_

_Trouble is, I knows it's petty_

_But I hate to let them live _

Anzu licked her paw clean as Marik came up behind her, grinning extremely hopeful as he sang.

_So you found yourself somebody who'd chase Atemu up a tree _

Turning her attention to the sphinx, Anzu held his face as he sang back.

_Oh, the battle may be bloody, but that kind of works for me _

Pushing Marik off the rock, where he landed sprawled on the ground below, Anzu followed, getting the angry sphinxes to growl.

_The melody of angry growls_

_A counterpoint of painful howls_

"YEOUCH!" Marik yelled in pain as Anzu purposely stepped on his tail.

_A symphony of death, oh my!_

_That's my lullaby _

Walking back into the room where Bakura was, Anzu found him sleeping. Though how he could sleep with all that racket was a mystery.

_Aknadin is gone... but Anzu's still around_

_To love this little lad_

Anzu kissed Bakura gently before standing on her hind legs and raking her claws down the stone, making a horrible scratching sound.

_Till he learns to be a killer_

_With a lust for being bad! _

"Sleep, ya little termite!" Marik snapped as he and Malik looked at the sleeping Bakura, but changed his tone when Malik glared at him. "Uh, I mean, precious little thing!"

Malik growled and knocked Marik back before turning to the sleeping cub, singing:

_One day when you're big and strong _

Anzu, from a height proclaimed the next part as as she tore a crumbling section of the termite mound to shine the setting sun on Bakura's sleep spot.

_You will be a king!_

Anzu began to sing again as the sphinxes started to leap, riled by the song.

_The pounding of the drums of war_

_The thrill of Bakura's mighty roar _

"The joy of vengeance!" Marik called up to Anzu.

"Testify!" Malik added, ignoring Marik's annoyed look.

"I can hear the cheering…" Anzu held a paw to her ear.

"Bakura! What a guy!" Marik and Malik cheered as Marik unenthusiastically waved a dead twig as a flag.

Anzu widened the hole she made until she could crawl out and sit on top of the mound.

_Payback time is nearing_

_And then our flag will fly_

_Against a blood-red sky_

_That's my lullaby! _

Anzu cackled as the sun set. Let that _Pharaoh_ Atemu enjoy his time as pharaoh. In two years, it would end.

* * *

A couple years later, Pegasus was drawing a new picture of Ryou in his home, symbolizing that he had grown into adulthood.

"Oh Aknankanon, every day Ryou grows more wonderful, into a Pharaoh that will someday make us all very proud." Pegasus sighed as he also painted a jagged mane on the picture of Bakura that Aknankanon had made five years earlier. "But this cub Bakura grows stronger. And Anzu fills his heart with hate. I am very worried, Aknankanon. Things are not going well."

The wind blew threw the tree, rattling some gourds that Pegasus had saved.

"Hmm?" Pegasus turned his attention to the fruit. "You have a plan?"

In response, one of the gourds fall, splitting in half. Pegasus picked up the two halves, and saw that the painting of Ryou and Bakura were being represented by the gourd halves.

"What? Bakura... Ryou... together?" Pegasus asked as he brought the two sides together until they joined. "This is the plan? ARE YOU CRAZY? This will never work! Oh Aknankanon, you been up there too long. Your head is in the clouds!"

Pegasus swore he heard a growl as and even stronger gust of wind ran past, effectively messing up his hair.

"Okay, okay, okay! Okay! All right- OKAY!" Pegasus shouted in frustration, making the wind stop. "I don't think this is going to work... but I trust you. I just hope you know what you are doing!"

The blowing wind was the only response as Pegasus finished his paintings.

* * *

**Alverna:** That was a good spot to end.

**Joey:** If you say so.

**Alverna:** At least I've been good about updating.

**Malik:** She's got me there.

**Alverna:** Thank you Malik.

**Serenity:** Please Review and let us know that this story is not a total flop!


	5. Chapter 5

**Alverna:** Chapter 5!

**Duke:** So much for updating in a timely manner.

**Tristan:** She just finished 'The Little Merman 2'. Let her enjoy the goodness of finishing a story.

**Alverna:** And it hasn't even been a month from the last post, only two weeks, so I'm still doing good.

**Seto:** If you insist.

**Alverna:** I do.

**Joey:** Alverna does not own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

"You are ready!" Anzu proclaimed "Nice... very nice."

Anzu began to slink around her son, who was sitting on a rock inside their home.

"You have the same blackness in your soul that Aknadin had." Anzu chuckled. "What is your destiny?"

"I will avenge Aknadin," Bakura growled, his tan fur glistening in the faint light, "and take his place as the pharaoh."

"Yes!" Anzu hissed excitedly. "What have I taught you?"

"Atemu is the enemy." Bakura snarled.

"And what must you do?" Anzu asked as she began to pant with excitement.

"I must kill him!" Bakura roared, earning roars of the other members of the pride.

* * *

A few hours later, back at the palace, Ryou was getting ready to take part in his first hunt. With the sacred court gathered outside, Atemu hid his emotions of worry and sadness, sighing.

Yugi walked over and stood next to Atemu, making him smile as the two looked to the palace doors.

Ryou emerged from the door. As a young man, he had inherited Aknankanon's height genes and stood taller than his parents. He still had his white hair, which had grown to mid-back, and chocolate brown eyes. As a lion, he had a white mane and Yugi's light colored fur.

"Ryou." Pegasus, who was standing next to the door, smiled with a bow, easing some of Ryou's worries.

Ryou began to walk down to his parents, giggling as Joey goofily embraced Mokuba and Seth, making them both look annoyed. Reaching his parents, Yugi stepped forward and embraced his son.

"You'll do just fine." Yugi whispered encouragingly, as he vague noticed his husband's glum expression.

"Daddy..." Ryou gained his father's attention, "you have to promise to let me do this on my own. Promise?"

Atemu took a deep breath and glanced at Yugi, who raised an eyebrow with a very pointed look at him.

"All right, I promise." Atemu nodded.

Grinning, Ryou leapt into his father's arms before leaving threw the palace gates, glancing back to see Atemu nod, and then ran off into the fields, changing into his lion form as he went.

Atemu walked to the edge of a balcony as he watch his son leave, and glanced over to Joey and Mokuba, who had come over to see if he was alright.

"Make sure he doesn't get hurt." Atemu whispered quietly before going back inside.

Joey and Mokuba glanced at each other with an eye roll, but head out to do what their friend asked. As they approached Ryou and the herd of antelope he was by, they noticed his hunting posture wasn't exactly up to snuff, evident when Ryou stepped on a branch.

The crack sends the herd of antelope running. With a groan, Ryou frustratedly ran after the fleeing herbivores.

* * *

Bursts of steam erupted around two sphinxes, Marik and Malik, in the thief's village in the middle of an Elephant Graveyard Atemu and Yugi had snuck off to when they were cubs.

"This place is even creepier since the demons ran off." Marik groaned.

"Gee." Malik mumbled with an eye roll, his mouth full of kindling as he jumped down from the ledge they were standing on.

"I'm not scared, okay?" Marik hissed annoyed as he followed.

Malik place the kindling he had on the edge of one of the spouts with a soft sigh. All Marik ever did was gripe, but Malik was head over heels with him.

"I just don't know why we have to be here, that's all." Marik grumbled. "If Bakura's so special, why does he need us? I never even had a CHANCE! Yaaah!"

Marik ran and hid behind Malik as a jet of hot gas erupted right behind him. Malik watched him with amusement, his face lighting up as the spout he placed the sticks on bursts, lighting the kindling ablaze.

"That's it!" Malik grinned as he picked up one of the sticks. "Now come on. Ryou has started his hunt. We have to move quickly."

Marik picked up his burning stick, and leaned his head over the vent's edge. It went off, scorching his face, much to his strange delight.

"Oooh! Fire!" Marik cheered, and laughed crazily as he bounded off after Malik.

* * *

Back out on the open fields, a 'Flame Swordsman' and sphinx were following Ryou. The two crossed a clearing military-fashion, sniffing the air, and dart from tree to tree with SWAT-team-style. Joey leapt into a hollow log and made his hand into a makeshift two-way radio.

"Tango-Charley-Alpha, what's your position?" Joey asked Mokuba, who was confused by the question.

"Upright," Mokuba replied, giving Joey a weird look, "head turned slightly to the left."

"Why do I bother?" Joey sighed and scanned the horizon, spotting Ryou. "Ah hah."

Ryou was stalking the antelope herd again, carefully stepping over some stones with his front feet, but knocking them over with his hind feet. Gasping, Ryou watched as the antelope begin running yet again. Quickly jumping out of hiding, Ryou and gave chase.

As Joey and Mokuba scanned the horizon, the herd dashes directly towards the two, causing them to shriek in fright, and lie flat to avoid getting trampled.

"This must be where the deer and the antelope play." Joey moaned as he kept Mokuba tucked under him until the antelope passed by.

Sitting up, the two brushed themselves off, shrieking again when they turn and see Ryou there, panting. Joey chuckles guiltily and Mokuba smiled innocently while Ryou recovered some of his breath.

"Joey," Ryou panted sternly, "what are you doing here?"

"Uh... shopping!" Joey blurted out and tried to roll with it as Mokuba nodded. "We thought a nice pelt for the den, some throw pillows, a little potpourri..."

"My father sent you." Ryou growled, cutting off the shifter. "After he promised to let me do this on my own. He lied!"

"No." Joey shook his head. "He just doesn't want you to get hurt."

"I should have known he'd never give me a real chance." Ryou whispered and ran past them, still breathing hard. "I'll do this on my own. Away from the palace!"

"Hey! Wait!" Joey shouted as he and Mokuba took off running after the prince, but he was already far ahead. "Oh... he's gone again! Somebody's gotta tie a boomerang around this guy's neck! Or get some sort of pager!"

* * *

Ryou stopped running for a second as he looked over his shoulder at the palace, and then continued toward the edge of the palace grounds.

Marik and Malik stood above on a dead grass hill, their sticks flaming as they spotted Ryou in the grass.

"Let's light fire!" Marik shouted as they ran down the slope, both laughing madly.

Malik chuckled as he lit a stretch of dead grass ablaze. If there was one thing he and Marik could agree on, it was fire was fun.

"Roasty toasty princey… roasty toasty princey…" Marik cheered as he lit the grass in several places, hopping around in circles, sealing himself in the center of the circle of flames. "Hey, is it hot in here, or is that just me?"

"You idiot!" Malik yelled, making Marik realize just where he was.

"Fire! Yowww!" Marik screamed as he rocketed into the air and landed a good distance away, where he resumed laughing like a maniac

"Come on" Malik growled as he grabbed Marik from behind and dragged him out of the fire's path.

* * *

Ryou crept closer to the antelope grazing, but they spooked at something near Ryou, and begin to gallop off. Ryou gave chase, but stopped when he saw smoke on the horizon.

He soon saw the fire burning and the antelope that were run back in his direction. Panicking, Ryou turned and began to run back the way he came, the safari animals following.

On a high knoll above the flames, Anzu and Bakura watched the destruction.

"The plan is in motion." Anzu grinned, pausing for a second. "Go!"

Bakura got up and ran down the slope towards the palace and into the blaze.

* * *

At the palace, Atemu paced around in worry Seth standing several steps away.

"Don't worry Atemu, he'll be fine." Seth sighed as he watched his cousin wear a hole in the stone. "What could happen?"

Atemu sighed as he looked up to the plains, and gasped as he saw the smoke rising.

"No... no!" Atemu gasped in horror. "Ryou!"

Seth turned his eyes to wear Atemu was looking, and gasped as well, but more out of fear for Joey and Mokuba.

"Mahad!" Atemu called as he ran out of the gates, changing to his lion form. "Fly ahead. Find him!"

The sphinxes of the palace all growled and followed Atemu to find Ryou.

* * *

Ryou was following a pair of zebras, hoping they would lead him away from the flames, but found himself trapped and hemmed in on all sides, choking on the thick smoke. Seeing a high stone overhang above the flames, he leapt up and tried to climb up the side, succeeding, but fells unconscious, changing back into his human form, upon reaching the top.

Hearing footsteps, Ryou woke up for a moment to see a lion baring its teeth down at him. Losing consciousness again, Ryou failed to see the lion was Bakura, who grabbed the unconscious prince by nape of his neck, and threw his body on top of his.

With a soft growl, Bakura carried Ryou off the top of the rock and away from the fire. Dodging burning trees, Bakura leapt off the edge of a slope and into a pool of water. Ryou began to sink, still out of it as Bakura changed back to his human form and dove after him.

Surfacing again, Bakura begins to drag Ryou to shore, not noticing Mahad flying overhead, witnessing the event.

"I must tell Atemu!" Mahad gasped and flew off to find his pharaoh.

Grunting, Bakura dragged Ryou to the shore, where he woke up, gasping for breath.

"Where am I?" Ryou asked groggily.

"You're safe... on the palace lands." Bakura answered, breathing slightly heavily.

"The palace lands. No!" Ryou mumbled, bewildered for a second, before remembering why he wasn't on the palace lands, and began to force the one who saved him back. "Why did you bring me here? Who do you think you are?"

"I think I'm the one who just saved your life!" Bakura responded with just as much sass.

"Look, I had everything under control!" Ryou growled.

"Not from where I'm standing." Bakura smirked.

"Then move downwind." Ryou hissed as he turned to move away.

Bakura kept smirking as he jumped in front of Ryou, keeping in front of him as the younger sphinx tried to pass by, but wasn't allowed.

"What are you doing?" Bakura asked, finally having enough of toying with Ryou.

"Bakura?" Ryou asked with a smile that was returned.

"Ryou!" Atemu shouted, leaping in front of his son, growling at the man with him, who changed into his lion form for protection.

"Ryou!" Yugi ran up in his human form, giving his son a tight hug. "You're all right."

"Father, how could you break your promise?" Ryou angrily asked from Yugi's arms.

"It's a good thing I did, I almost lost you." Atemu replied and turned his face to his son. "No more hunts for you. Not ever!"

"But I was doing just fine!" Ryou protested. "Even before Bakura-"

"Bakura?" Atemu asked and roared at Bakura, who roared back unafraid.

"Atemu?" Yugi questioned his husband's ferocity.

Atemu gave a small glare to Yugi, and delivered one full blast to Bakura.

"Hey!" Pegasus's voice caused them to turn and see the shaman standing on a rock nearby. "You! How dare you save the King's son?"

"You saved him?" Atemu questioned. "Why?"

"I humbly ask to join your pride." Bakura responded evenly.

"No!" Atemu immediately snapped. "You were banished with the other Outsiders."

"I hadn't even been born yet." Bakura replied. "And I have left the Outsiders. I am a rogue. Judge me now, for what I am... or am I to be blamed for a crime I didn't commit?"

Atemu snarls and paced around growling as he went.

"Atemu," Yugi looked at him hard, "we owe him our son's life."

"Yes, sire." Mahad responded as he landed. "Clearly we are in his debt... and royal protocol demands that all debts be paid."

"Though in this case you might want to make an exception." Seth added held onto Joey and Mokuba while glaring at Bakura, who simply looked annoyed.

"My father's law will prevail." Atemu decided. "For now, I reserve judgment. We'll see who you really are."

Bakura smiled and looked sidelong at Ryou, who smiled back at him along with Yugi. Mahad on the other hand, turned his back on Bakura with a snort.

"Riffraff." Seth growled as he kept his brother and mate in front of him.

Making their way back to the palace, Bakura walked behind Atemu, growling to himself.

* * *

As night fell over Egypt, Atemu noticed Bakura about to go into the sleeping quarters with the sacred court. Growling, he jumped in front of Bakura, intimidating him away from the doorway as he went inside.

With a sigh, Bakura claimed an unused servant's room to sleep, barley noticing when Ryou walked into the room. Until he spoke that it.

"Hey... uh." Ryou mumbled. "Thanks for saving me today."

"What kind of hunter are you, anyway- Prince Ryou?" Bakura scoffed. "You almost got yourself killed out there."

"What?" Ryou asked.

"You wouldn't last three days on your own." Bakura smirked.

"Oh, and I suppose you could teach me?" Ryou asked, slightly provoked.

"Yeah." Bakura chuckled.

"Ryou!" Atemu shouted from the entrance of his room.

"Coming!" Ryou called and turned back to Bakura before walking out of the room. "All right, impress me. We start at dawn."

"I look forward to it." Bakura chuckled.

Outside, Anzu and Marik watched the action threw Bakura's window while sitting on a nearby hill.

"Oh... oh... d-d-did you see that?" Marik gasped in disbelief. "He let him go! If that were me I'd-"

"Hush." Anzu glanced down at the upset sphinx. "The fire-rescue worked perfectly, and Atemu fell for it. Now, the closer Bakura gets to the son, the closer he gets to Atemu! And once he has Atemu alone... rraaagh!"

Anzu swung her claws at a young tree, breaking it in half.

* * *

**Alverna:** Please let me know if you see an wrong names, spelling, or grammer errors. I'm looking for a beta reader cause I currently don't have one.

**Yugi:** Don't worry, someone will turn up.

**Atemu:** Please review so I can find out why I'm acting like such a jerk. Then again, it's Bakura.

**Bakura:** I heard that!

**Ryou:** Calm down! And did any one besides me notice the change in the review style again?

**Alverna:** Yeah! What was wrong with the old system?


	6. Chapter 6

**Alverna:** Okay, I'm tired of waiting. Here's Chapter 6

**Joey:** What do you mean you're 'tired of waiting'?

**Alverna:** I've been ready to post this chapter since 7/1/2012.

**Seto:** You've kept us waiting for over a week? Why?

**Alverna:** Cause I was waiting for my Beta Reader to get back to me, but it's taking a while.

**Bakura:** No excuse you -words censored for the sake of the fic-

**Ryou:** Alverna does not own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy.

**Alverna:** Can't believe I forgot this, but at the end of Chapter 3, I asked why I picked Marik for Nuka's role, and Killer-Fangirl got it right. In the Lion King Nuka want to be king, and in the anime Marik wants to be the Pharaoh. Good job.

* * *

Chapter 6

* * *

Right around midnight, Atemu began to toss around in his sleep, having a bad dream.

_Dream _

_Standing at the top of a ledge, Atemu gasped as he looked down, seeing his father, Aknankanon, hanging on with his claws, as the wildebeest stampeded bellow. _

"_Atemu!" Aknankanon called when he saw his son. "Help me!" _

"_Father!" Atemu called, turning when he heard laughter. _

_Aknadin, in human form, stood above on a higher ledge, his hair covered by a hood, watching, creeping closer the other two sphinxes. . _

"_Dad... just... a little... farther..." Atemu grunted as he reached for Aknankanon, who was just out of reach, before crying out in pain. _

"_Gotcha!" Aknadin said with an evil smile as he changed into a sphinx, his claws digging into Atemu's upper foreleg. "Trust me." _

"_Atemu!" Aknankanon called out as he slid completely out of reach, down the gorge, and into the stampeding herd. _

"_Noooo!" Atemu shouted in terror, turning on Aknadin with a growl, which was cut off as the hood was thrown off his head, revealing Bakura. "Bakura?" _

"_Ha!" Bakura sneered as he threw Atemu after his father, laughing at the falling sphinx. _

"_No!" Atemu cried out. _

_Dream End_

"No!" Atemu cried out as he shot up, panting, looking around in fright, and calmed down as Yugi wrapped his arms around him.

"Atemu?" Yugi whispered tiredly, having woke up at his husbands cry. "Tell me what happened love."

Taking a deep breath, Atemu began to recount his nightmare.

"I think you're nervous that Bakura is going to behave like Aknadin." Yugi said once Atemu had finished. "It's a legit fear, one I have myself."

"What do we do then?" Atemu asked as he held Yugi in his lap.

"Like you said earlier," Yugi sighed, "we have to wait and see who Bakura really is."

"Doesn't mean I like the idea." Atemu shook his head.

"No one does." Yugi hummed. "But let's try to not worry about this whole ordeal again until morning. Okay?"

"Okay." Atemu agreed as the two slowly fell back asleep.

* * *

At sunrise the next morning. Atemu left his room, letting Yugi sleep. Stretching his arms, he slowly walked toward the kitchen.

Watching from the shadows was Bakura, in his sphinx form, teeth and claws bared, ready to strike. As Bakura focused on following the pharaoh, he was slightly startled when Ryou jumped in front of him.

"Good morning!" Ryou laughed, jumping on his pawtips, strong indication that he was feeling frisky. "I'm ready for my first lesson. Surprised you, huh?"

Still feeling stunned, Bakura quickly hid his previous mindset and intentions, glancing back down the hallway to see that Atemu was gone.

"Hey, c'mon." Ryou laughed as he hopped out the door. "Let's go!"

Still feeling dumbstruck, Bakura gave one last glance after his lost opportunity with a growl, but he followed Ryou out the door and onto the savannah.

* * *

A couple hours later, and in sphinx form, Bakura was teaching Ryou, also in sphinx form, stealth. Trying to anyway.

"Ow." Ryou hissed for the third time, not noticing Bakura smiling bemusedly to himself.

"Three... two... one..." Bakura muttered with an eye roll, anticipating the impending pounce, and ducked.

"Gotcha!" Ryou grinned as he jumped, sailing full over Bakura's evasion, and tumbled to the ground, looking sheepish as Bakura stood over him, looking down at him. "You could hear me... huh?"

"Only... a lot." Bakura shook his head as Ryou stood back up, and demonstrated what he could do to improve. "You're still breathing too hard. Relax... feel the earth under your paws... so it doesn't shift and make noise."

"Hm." Ryou hummed as he followed Bakura's example.

"Shhh." Bakura hissed as he watched a flock of birds land on the other side of a nearby hill. "Watch the master... and learn."

Bakura silently slinked up towards the base of the hill before running up the side, leaping over the crest of the hill with a roar, claws fully extended.

"Aaaahhhh!" Joey screamed in fright as Bakura knocked him to the ground. "Don't eat me! Please! I... I... I never really met your tyrant. I mean, uh- Aknadin. Aknadin. Oh, heck of a guy. A little moody, but, I..."

"Joey!" Ryou snapped, annoyed at seeing the shifter again. "What are you doing here?"

"Ryou! Thank goodness!" Joey grinned and gestured behind him to Mokuba and a bunch of birds scavenging for grubs. "Hey... for once, we're not following you. This just happens to be the best smorgasbord in all of Egypt. Bugs everywhere! But if you don't call for a reservation, and- yeesh!"

Ryou began to snicker as Joey attempted to scare the birds away.

"Get out of here, you scavengers. Go on! Shoo! Shoo!" Joey shouted as he waved his arms at one unconcerned bird, which bit his nose, causing it to glowing red in pain.

"Augh!" Mokuba shouted as he rushed down the hill, and back up, scattering birds, which came back to land right where they were.

Ryou giggled softy at Joey and Mokuba's antics, and at Bakura's bewildered expression.

"Oh... Joey, I'm getting tired." Mokuba panted as he flopped down, a dozen or so birds landing on his back. "I gotta lose some pounds!"

"Shoo!" Joey shouted as he kicked at the birds, scaring them off. "Go on! Shoo! Shoo!"

Ryou and Bakura trotted down the hill with Ryou laughing, and Bakura looking at Joey and Mokuba like they were crazy.

"Hey, maybe _he_ can help." Mokuba said as he sat up, noticing Bakura. "You think?"

"Oh, yeah! There's an idea." Joey rolled his eyes. "Right. Let the vicious Outsider- Hey! Wait! I have an idea! What if he helps?"

"Oh boy." Mokuba sighed, recalling a similar conversation he had had with Joey when they had first found Atemu in the desert, right after the stampeded that had killed his father.

"You want to lend a voice? Huh?" Joey asked and made some growling sounds. "Roar! Work with me!"

"What?" Bakura whispered to Ryou, who grinned.

"Like this." Ryou changed to his lion form and roared, scattering the birds.

"Woo-hoo!" Joey cheered as he and Mokuba began to chase after the flock. "C'mon, do it again! Do it again!"

With a glance at Ryou, Bakura also changed to his lion form and roared, startling the birds as Joey and Mokuba chased after them.

"Yee-haa!" Joey cheered as Ryou and Bakura ran down the hill, sending birds flying in every direction.

"Why are we doing this?" Bakura asked, still clueless. "What's the point of this training?"

"Training?" Ryou asked while laughing. "This is just for fun!"

"Fun?" Bakura asked as if he never heard the word before.

"You've got to get out more often." Joey laughed as he flew by with Red Eyes Black Dragon Wings. "Fun! Yeee-haa! Whooo-hoo!"

"Yeee-haa!" Bakura cheered as he slowly got the hand of the idea.

The group chased the flying birds, whooping and cheering as they went. At the last moment, they noticed the end was blocked by a number of rhinos, and come skidding to a halt.

"Uh-oh." Ryou muttered as they noticed the birds sitting on top of the rhinos' heads.

"Thhppbbts!" the birds blew raspberries as the group, who turned tail and ran back the way they came with the rhinos in hot pursuit.

"Whoa!" Ryou and Bakura both shouted as they skid around a corner.

"Hang rhino!" Joey shouted as he and Mokuba rounded the bend.

The rhinos thunder past, not noticing a small crevice in the rocks the sphinxes and shifter hid in. As soon as the dust settled, they all burst out laughing with delight.

"What a blast!" Bakura gasped out.

"You're okay, kid." Joey grinned as he gave Bakura a noogie.

"Hey!" Bakura protested, having been caught off guard.

"You're okay." Joey repeated with a pat to the shoulder.

"Excuse me." Mokuba muttered as he and Joey wiggled out of the crevice. "Pardon me."

During all the squirming, Ryou's mouth brushed up against Bakura's. They looked at each other, both quite embarrassed.

"Um... s-sorr- uh..." Ryou stuttered quietly as they slipped out of the crack.

"Hey!" Joey called from where he and Mokuba stood further down the path. "Are you two coming or what?"

Glancing at each other, they all walk off, side by side and laughing.

* * *

After the sun set, Ryou led Bakura to a grassy area where they laid on their backs as humans and look at the stars, giggling.

"Um- look..." Ryou pointed to a constellation. "There's one that looks like a baby rabbit. See the fluffy tail?"

"Yeah... hey!" Bakura nodded and pointed out another with a laugh while Ryou grimaced. "There's one that looks like two lions killing each other for a scrap of meat! Ah, I've never played this before."

"Really?" Ryou asked. "My father and I used to do this all the time. He says all the great Pharaohs of the past are up there."

"You think Aknadin is up there?" Bakura asked quietly before getting up and moving off. "No one here thinks he's very great... do they? I never knew him, but he's still... part of me."

"My father said there was a..." Ryou paused as he got up and sat down next to Bakura, "darkness in Aknadin that he couldn't escape."

"Maybe there's a darkness in me too." Bakura whispered quietly.

With a soft smile, Ryou held Bakura's hand before pulling him into a hug, which was returned. Some distance away, Atemu watched his son from a hill.

"Father... I am lost." Atemu addressed the sky. "Bakura is one of them. Aknadin's heir. How can I accept him?"

"Atemu?" Yugi asked as he approached the pharaoh from behind.

"I was... seeking counsel from the Great Pharaohs." Atemu sighed as Yugi nuzzled up to him with a sigh.

"Did they help?" Yugi questioned as they both looked up.

"Silent as stars." Atemu replied with a sight. "My father would never-"

"Oh, Atemu..." Yugi chuckled, "you want so much to walk the path expected of you. Perhaps Bakura does not."

"What?" Atemu asked in surprise. "How do you know what-?"

"I can see them down there just as easily as you can." Yugi giggled softly as he gestured to Ryou and Bakura. "Get to know him and see. Now let's go home. Ryou can handle Bakura by himself for a few more hours."

Yugi turned and walked off. After a moment of hesitation and glance back at his son embracing the Outsider, Atemu followed.

* * *

**Alverna:** CUT!

**Marik:** What was that for?

**Malik:** She can yell cut if she wants to.

**Atemu:** Just as a reminder, this is currently un-betaed, so it may contian mistakes.

**Yugi:** Please review so we can find out what happen's next.


	7. Chapter 7

**Alverna: **Here's chapter 7.

**Mokuba:** What's wrong. You seem sad.

**Joey:** Her beta reader still hasn't gotten back to her yet, so she considering starting to search for another person who will beta read for her. So this chapter is un-beta read and may contain mistakes.

**Seto:** Alverna does not own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy the chapter.

**Alverna:** And claifying now, Ryou and Bakura are in human form for this chapter.

* * *

Chapter 7

* * *

Ryou sighed as he held Bakura. His friend had been through a lot in his life, he didn't need a 'darkness guilt' eating at him to. But Bakura seemed to have other ideas as he pulled away, clearing his throat.

"What's wrong?" Ryou asked in surprise.

"Nothing." Bakura replied as he walked a few paces away, his back turned towards Ryou.

"Bakura..." Ryou walked closer.

"It's just that my whole life I've been trained to..." Bakura stopped and shook his head before walking off again. "Nothing. I got to go."

"Bakura?" Ryou asked, making the older sphinx pause. "Wait."

Bakura looked back at Ryou's face staring back at him. With a sigh, Bakura turned away and continued to move.

"And where are you going?" Pegasus asked as he suddenly appeared in front of Bakura, his finger on the sphinx's nose.

"Uh…" Bakura was in a stunned silence for a couple seconds. "Nowhere."

"That's what you think!" Pegasus chuckled as he disappeared into the tall grass, vanishing from sight.

"Who was that?" Bakura asked Ryou in complete confusion.

"Uh..." Ryou gave a soft chuckle, slightly apologetic. "Pegasus, friend of the family."

"Uh-huh." Bakura replied, before whirling around as he felt Pegasus playing with his hair. "Hey!"

"Come on! You two follow old Pegasus!" Pegasus laughed as he darted away. Giving Bakura's clothes a tug. "He knows the way!"

"The way where?" Bakura asked hesitantly, making Ryou shrug.

"If you follow, you'll see!" Pegasus called as he swung tree to tree using vines. "Hurry now you slow pokes!"

"Bakura, come on!" Ryou giggled as the two ran after the shawman.

"Where's he taking us?" Bakura asked as they skidded to a halt in front of a rare waterfall along the Nile.

"To a special place in your heart called…" Pegasus appeared behind them and pressed their noses together. "Upendi!"

Guiding the two behind the waterfall, Pegasus set them both in a heart shaped boat and started them down the river, singing.

_There's a place where the crazy moon_

_Makes the monkeys sing and the baboons swoon_

_And the sultry scent of the lotus bloom_

_Will carry you away_

Pegasus took one of the mentioned flowers from an offering baboon, and gave it to Ryou. Ryou held it to Bakura's nose so he could enjoy the scent, but it just made him sneeze.

_Where the hippos swing from the jungle vines_

_And the rhino rumba in a conga line_

_And the pink flamingoes are intertwined_

_As the stars come out to play_

The mentioned animals all showed their parts to the sphinxes, Ryou giggling at the antics while Bakura gave them a bored look, feeling confused on the inside.

_In Upendi_

_Where the passion fruit grows sweet_

_And it's so divine_

_That you lose your mind_

_As it sweeps you off your feet_

Picking some fruit, Pegasus offered it to Ryou, who accepted it and ate, and Bakura, who refused, not interested in anything the shawman had to offer. Especially after the flower.

As a turn came up, Pegasus used his staff to guide them around the corner. As they fell over the edge of a small waterfall, Pegasus grabbed a heart shaped leaf and stuck it over Bakura's head.

_In Upendi_

_Without a worry or a care_

_It just takes two_

_To make it true_

_Your heart will lead you there_

"Not funny." Bakura grunted as he pulled the leaf off, annoyed that Ryou was laughing.

"Where is it?" Ryou asked as he calmed down from his laughter, making Pegasus cover the sphinx's eyes with one hand and cleaned out his ear with the other as he leaned over.

"No place that you don't take with you." Pegasus whispered and pulled away, inducing more laughter from Ryou.

_You better watch your step 'cause the path is steep_

_Better hold your breath cause the water's deep_

_It's a long way down over Lovers' Leap_

_But falling's half the fun! _

Another waterfall came up and this time, Pegasus swept the boat out from under the sphinxes, making them fall into a water collector. Pulling the cord on the side, Pegasus released them and they fell into the boat again, laughing.

_In Upendi_

_Where the passion fruit grows sweet_

_And it's so divine_

_That you lose your mind_

_As it sweeps you off your feet_

More fruit came at them, and this time Bakura got a mouthful he began to choke on until Ryou kissed his cheek, making him swallow with a sigh.

Spinning some fruit on his fingers, Pegasus threw it to the side, making butterflies fly past as animals of the savannah danced in a conga line.

_In Upendi_

_Without a worry or a care_

_It just takes two_

_To make it true_

_Your heart will take you there_

Pegasus pressed Ryou's and Bakura's nosed together again before he joined the conga line, letting the boat come to a rest in the middle of a pond.

_You can beat the bush like there's no tomorrow_

_From Tanganyika to Kilimanjaro_

_But you'll find Upendi wherever you are_

_Oh underneath the sun_

"Upendi means 'love', doesn't it?" Ryou asked as realization came to him and Bakura.

"Welcome to Upendi!" Pegasus nodded as a fountain of water shot up from under the boat the two were in.

_In Upendi _

_Where the passion fruit grows sweet_

_And it's so divine_

_That you lose your mind_

_As it sweeps you off your feet_

Pegasus tossed passion fruit to the animal pairs in the conga line, who leapt up and fell into the river, getting carried away with their partner.

Seeing the fun, Bakura and Ryou held hands as they jumped from the boat, joined the line, received their own piece of fruit, and got carried away by the river as well.

_In Upendi_

_Without a worry or a care_

_It just takes two_

_To make it true_

_Your heart will take you there_

* * *

Ryou and Bakura giggled as they past threw the gates of the palace together, still humming and singing '_In Upendi_'. Upon reaching the hallway where they would go to their separate rooms, Ryou gave Bakura a hug.

"Good night." Bakura whispered as he returned the gesture.

"Good night." Ryou smiled as he sadly pulled away, looking at the room where Bakura had to sleep.

With a smile, Bakura pushed Ryou toward the door way, not noticing Ryou pausing at the entrance to the royal wing, and sighed as he watched Bakura entered his room.

Atemu stepped out of the shadow where he had watched. Remembering Yugi's words about giving Bakura a chance, he came to a decision and entered Bakura's room.

"It's a bit cold tonight." Atemu said, startling the sphinx that had been pulling a blanket around him to conserve heat. "Come on."

Bakura blinked in shock before giving a genuine smile as he followed Atemu into the warmer part of the palace, where he was given a room with extra blankets.

Watching through the palace windows, Marik watched as Atemu entered Bakura's room and turned his back to the younger sphinx as they started to leave the room.

"Get him!" Malik whispered, to himself, shocked when Bakura just kept walking. "What are you waiting for Bakura? Get him!"

Malik lay down in despair as he stared, and then realized that Bakura was not going to attack Atemu. With a hiss he jumped up, rushing back to Anzu, who roared in anger at the report.

"You're sure?" Anzu snarled.

"Affirmative." Malik replied evenly, though his eyes betrayed his anger. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"No." Anzu growled, and began to think of how to deal with her wayward son once her plan came to completion. "Bakura cannot betray us!"

* * *

**Alverna:** End chapter. Don't know why I ended it there. It's such a sour note.

**Yugi:** But is has a good song.

**Atemu:** Please review and send encouragement, (and possibly a new beta reader).


	8. Chapter 8

**Alverna:** Chapter 8. I hated writing this chapter.

**Yugi:** Why?

**Atemu:** Because it's a part she hates but still does anyway. Like Chapter 7 of 'The Little Merman 2'.

**Ryou:** Alverna does not own Yugioh or The Lion King 2.

**Bakura:** Enjoy the chapter while you can.

* * *

Chapter 8

* * *

The next morning, Bakura, in human form, walked out onto a balcony with a sad expression on his face.

"Okay, I have to tell him today." Bakura groaned and paced around a little. "But where do I start? 'Ryou, Anzu has a plot, and I was part of it. But I don't want to be, because, it's because I love you.' Oh, he'll never believe me. But I got to try."

Turning back inside, Bakura approached Ryou, who was just leaving his room.

"Ryou…" Bakura called, making Ryou turn to him with a smile. "I need to talk to you."

"Ryou… I don't want you talking with him." Atemu said sternly was he walked down the hallway before his face softened. "_I_ want to talk with him."

Ryou felt his face brighten, not noticing Bakura's nervous look. Atemu winked at Ryou as he and Bakura exit the palace and out onto the savannah, where Atemu told Bakura his side of the Aknadin story.

"Aknadin couldn't let go of his hate..." Atemu explained as they entered the newly burnt section of land, "and in the end, it destroyed him."

"I've... never heard the story of Aknadin that way." Bakura admitted as they stopped. "He truly was a killer."

"Fire is a killer." Atemu replied as he scanned the horizon and kneeled down, Bakura copying the motion as the pharaoh brushed away some ash to reveal a new plant. "Sometimes, what's left behind can grow better than the generation before… if given the chance."

An evil chuckle from the dust surrounding the two made them look up, and Bakura gasp as he realized what was happening. The dark forms of many sphinxes appeared from the clouds of dust, surrounding them.

"No…" Bakura whispered in horror. "Oh, no… no…"

"Why, Atemu…" Anzu greeted.

"Anzu." Atemu growled as he changed to his sphinx form.

"What are you doing out here, and so _alone_?" Anzu asked with fake innocence as the sphinxes surround a growling Atemu and horrified Bakura. "Well done, Bakura. Just like we always planned."

"You." Atemu growled as he turned on Bakura.

"No!" Bakura protested as he changed to his sphinx form for protection reasons. "I didn't have anything to do with this!"

"Attack!" Anzu hissed.

Atemu growled and roared in pain as Malik and Marik jumped on his back, scratching and biting his shoulders and wings.

"No!" Bakura shouted in horror and attempted to help Atemu, but was kicked back into a rock by Malik, losing consciousness.

Struggling, Atemu was pushed over the edge of a ravine, and injured one of his wings on the way down, losing his ability to fly away.

"Yes!" Anzu cheered from the ravine ledge as her forces slide down the slope towards the fallen pharaoh. "We've got him!"

With a snarl, Malik leaped at Atemu, who barely got out of the way while changing to his lion form for greater speed, and fled down the canyon.

"Remember your training!" Anzu called as she watched one of the sphinxes get tossed off of Atemu's back. "As a unit!"

Reaching the end of the canyon, Atemu found himself trapped by piled up logs. Glancing back, Atemu realized he had no choice as Anzu and her pride closed in, so he began to climb. Kicking logs back gained Atemu time as the sphinxes scuttled back, unable to fly with the narrow canyon walls.

"Atemu!" Bakura called from the ledge above the pharaoh.

"Get him Bakura!" Anzu called to her son as he began to search for a way down into the ravine. "Get him! Do it now!"

"I'll do it!" Marik shouted as he bounded up the logs laughing. "Are you watching Anzu? I'm doing it for you... and I'm doing it for me!"

Stumbling as some crisscrossed logs blocked his path, Atemu panted as he changed to his human form to reach the log he needed to grab, before crying out in pain as Marik's claws sank into is ankle.

"This is my moment of glory!" Marik grinned insanely.

But the log on which Marik had his rear paw broke, causing him to lose his grip on the pharaoh's ankle, and began to fall as Atemu reached the top.

But the logs rolled down the slope; with Marik's abdomen trapped under the log he had been using for leverage, he watched in horror as the logs came closer.

At the last second, Bakura raced up and braced himself above Marik as the log hit his shoulder, but his didn't give way under the strain.

"Are you going to just stand there gawking?" Bakura shouted as more logs began to hit the one he was holding.

Malik quickly raced up and helped Bakura hold the log in place as the logs settled, Atemu getting away as the dust settled.

"Marik." Anzu gasped and raced to the trapped male as the sphinxes began to remove the logs from behind the one Bakura and Malik were holding up.

"I'm sorry, Anzu." Marik gasped as the logs were removed. "I tried..."

"Shhh." Anzu soothed as she stroked Marik's cheek, having taken the role of his mother after his parents had died. "You'll be okay."

"Well... I finally got your attention, didn't I?" Marik whispered as Bakura and Malik rolled the log they were supporting over their backs and down to the bottom of the ravine.

"Marik." Malik whispered as he sat next to Anzu while Bakura pulled the log on top of Marik off him. "I should have told you sooner. I love you."

"I love you to." Marik whispered and grimaced as he changed to his human form, unable to remain a sphinx with such heavy injuries.

Panting softly, Bakura changed back to his human form, bent over, carefully picked up Marik, and began the long trek back to where their home in the outlands was.

* * *

Back in the middle of the palace lands, Ryou watched with Joey, Mokuba, and Mahad, as his father wearily walked into view.

"Father." Ryou said in delight before realizing something was wrong. "Father! Mahad, go get help!"

"Oh yes!" Mahad replied as he quickly flew in the direction of the palace. "At once!"

Ryou, Joey, and Mokuba raced to meet Atemu, who was limping in pain with blood trailing from his ankle where Marik had grabbed him.

"Father?" Ryou asked quietly as changed to his human form, and embraced his father.

"Atemu!" Joey gasped as he came to a halt. "Talk to me! What happened?"

"Bakura!" Atemu gasped out as he coughed, breathing painfully as he collapsed on his side with a groan of pain. "Ambush..."

"No." Ryou whispered softy as he kneeled next to the pharaoh, not believing Bakura would do such a thing.

Joey changed to his Red Eyes Black Dragon form as Mokuba helped Ryou lift Atemu onto his back.

"It's all right, buddy." Joey rumbled softly as he started to fly back to the palace. "We're here for you."

* * *

Back in the Outlands, Bakura placed Marik in the most comfortable place in the termite mound, which happened to be his bed. Backing up, Bakura left the room and let Malik began to treat Marik's injuries.

The diagnosis, some mild internal bleeding that was easily fixed, along with strong bruising and sore and wrenched muscles that would take a few weeks to heal.

"With some rest, he'll be okay." Malik sighed as he left the room.

"Good." Anzu replied before she turned on Bakura with outstretched claws. "And you!"

"Augh!" Bakura cried in pain as his hand flew to his right eye.

Recovering quickly, Bakura turned his head and glared at Anzu, who recoiled at the sight. Starting under his eye was a line that ran down his face, with two other lines crossed on top of that, making a double T.

"What have you done?" Anzu snarled menacingly.

"I-I-I didn't mean to… it-it-it wasn't my fault, I…" Bakura recovered from his stuttering and growled forcefully. "I did nothing!"

"Exactly!" Anzu hissed back as he paced. "And in doing so, you betrayed your pride... betrayed Aknadin!"

"I want nothing more to do with him!" Bakura shouted back, making Anzu step back.

"You cannot escape it!" Anzu recover in tenfold, forcing Bakura to the entrance of the mound. "Marik could have died because of you!"

"No." Bakura whispered softly.

"You could've have killed your own brother!" Anzu shouted.

"No!" Bakura yelled as he turned and ran out of the termite mound, ignoring the snarls and growls from his ex-pride members.

"Let him go." Anzu growled. "Atemu has hurt me for the last time. And now he has corrupted Bakura!"

"Will you take this outside?" Malik hissed by Marik's doorway, watching as the sphinxes left the mound.

"Listen to me." Anzu said once outside. "Atemu is injured and weak. Now is the time to attack! We will take his entire kingdom _by force_!"

With roars and cheers as the reply, Anzu laughed. She didn't need Bakura. She had Atemu right where she wanted him.

* * *

**Alverna:** Like I said, I hated writing this part of the story, but I hoped you liked it anyway.

**Marik:** If anyone of you desires to throw rotten fruit of picthforks at the writer, let me know so I can watch!

**Malik:** No! Alverna denies wanting reviews, but we all know her better than that. Please review so she can keep going.


	9. Chapter 9

**Alverna:** Chapter 9. Not the happiest chapter.

**Bakura:** You can say that again.

**Ryou:** Bakura, be nice. It's part of the story plot.

**Bakura:** She could change the plot.

**Alverna:** Quit bickering. I don't own Yugioh or The Lion King 2.

* * *

**01-18-2013:** I originally didn't put in the song, but now I am. I was able to get over my song eversion. Thank you shinyglaceon1234 for noticing I had edited and put up the wrong chapters in Chapters 8 and 9.

* * *

Chapter 9

* * *

Back at the palace, Ryou and Yugi sat next to the pharaoh on his bed. The place had been in an uproar when Atemu was brought in injured. Isis had examined him, stitched and bandaged his ankle, and proclaimed that the rest of Atemu was simply bruised and sore.

"It can't be true." Ryou whispered softly as he watched his father sleep.

"I don't understand either." Yugi replied as his hand ran through Atemu's hair. "But we need to consider that what happened may have been Bakura's intent in the first place."

"No." Ryou shook his head. "Bakura wouldn't. I know it."

A soft moan caught their attention, and Atemu slowly opened his eyes to see his family looking at him.

"Atemu." Yugi whispered softly, aware that Atemu may have a headache or concussion. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore." Atemu responded. "No headache though."

"What happened?" Ryou asked quietly.

"Bakura and I went out to the newly burned section of land." Atemu replied as he slowly sat up. "I told him our side of the Aknadin story, willing to give him a chance. But Anzu and her 'pride' surrounded us, proclaiming that it was _their_ plan."

"No." Ryou whimpered with his hand at his mouth.

"Yes." Atemu replied firmly. "And then they attacked, where I received these injuries. Thanks to some rolling logs, I was able to get away and back to safety."

"Pharaoh." Seth spoke from the doorway. "Bakura is here."

"What's he doing here?" Yugi asked with a slight hint of anger in his voice.

"He is seeking an audience with you." Seth growled.

"I reserved judgment when he first came here." Atemu said as he slowly got out of bed with Yugi's help. "The time has come to pass it."

"Father?" Ryou questioned, but was silenced with the glare his father sent him.

"I know you care for him." Atemu said firmly as they entered the throne room. "But I most uphold the fact he was part of the reason I was attacked."

As they entered the room, whispers were heard from the council and the sacred court.

"I never trusted him..."

"It's the Outsider, that little troublemaker..."

"What's he doing here?"

"He doesn't belong here..."

"Look at that scar on his face..."

"Let me at him! Let me at him!" Joey was growling as Mokuba and Seth held him back while Atemu took his place on the throne, with Yugi on his right and Ryou on his left.

"Why have you come back?" Atemu demanded, bringing silence to the room.

"Atemu…" Bakura raised his head, revealing the scar that had been whispered about. "I had nothing to do with-"

"You don't belong here." Atemu interrupted with a glare.

"Please..." Bakura knelt on his knees. "I ask your forgiveness."

"Father please..." Ryou pleaded softly. "Listen to him."

"Silence!" Atemu hissed with a glare to his son before turning his attention to the sphinx on trial. "When you first came here, you asked for judgment, and I pass it now."

Random voices were heard as they each gave their input.

"Give him what he deserves!"

"Kick him out!"

"Judgment day is here!"

"Exile!" Atemu proclaimed, once again silencing the room.

"No!" Ryou shouted he leapt away from the throne tried to run to Bakura, but was held back by Mahad and Karim. "Bakura!"

With wide eyes Bakura backed out of the room as the palace guards pointed their spears at him while shouting cruel remarks at him and conversing with each other.

"You know we can't trust these Outsider types!"

"Your kind are nothing but trouble!"

"Traitor, go back with your own!"

Other palace servants began to sing as they watched, throwing sharp object at the banished sphinx.

_Deception_

_Disgrace _

_Evil as plan as the scar on his face._

_Deception (An outrage!)_

_Disgrace (For shame!)_

_He asked for trouble the moment he came (See you later alligator)_

_Deception (An outrage!)_

_Disgrace (For shame!)_

_He asked for trouble the moment he came (See you later alligator)_

Running outside of the palace, Bakura dodged rocks and stones thrown by the crowd of people, as well as snakes and scorpions who were trying to sting him. As he ran, the people of Egypt raised their voices in song.

_Born in grief_

_Raised in hate_

_Helpless to defy his fate_

_Let him run_

_Let him live_

_But do not forget_

_What we cannot forgive _

Reaching the river where Ryou first saw the outlands, Bakura looked back to see Atemu watching him with emotionless eyes, and Ryou trying not to cry as he was held by Yugi, the sacred court standing behind them.

_And he is not one of us_

_He has never been one of us_

_He is not part of us_

_Not our kind _

Looking down into the river, Bakura saw his reflection change to that of an old man with grey hair and only one eye. Having heard enough stories from Anzu, Bakura knew it was Aknadin he was looking at. Bakura quickly jumped out of the river, once again running from his now hated past.

_Someone once lied to us_

_Now we're not so blind_

_For we knew he would do what he's done _

_And we know that he'll never be one of us _

_He is not one of us_

"Ohhh..." Pegasus groaned softly as he watched Bakura flee over the final hill of the pharaoh's country, and into the desert.

* * *

Back at the palace, Atemu still stood on the balcony, looking into the distance where he last saw Bakura.

"Father please…" Ryou begged as he squirmed out of Yugi's arms, "reconsider!"

"You will not go anywhere without an escort from now on." Atemu replied, sparing a glance to his son.

"No! That's not fair!" Ryou shouted.

"He used you to get to me!" Atemu growled.

"No!" Ryou protested. "He loves me... for me!"

"Because you are my son!" Atemu's voice rose slightly before dropping. "You will not leave the palace. You will stay where I can keep an eye on you... away from him."

"You don't know him!" Ryou shot back.

"I know he's following in Aknadin's paw prints." Atemu replied angrily as he stared over the savannah again. "And I must follow in my father's.

"You will never be Aknankanon!" Ryou shouted as the tears he had been holding back finally started to fall down his face.

Atemu felt his shoulders jerk, stung into silence at Ryou's words as Yugi wrapped his arms around the pharaoh.

Breaking down, Ryou turned and ran back to his room, where he threw himself onto his bed sobbing. As his tears finally slowed, Ryou looked up to the secret entrance that the royal family would use to escape the palace in emergencies.

Filled with a new determination, Ryou pushed the switch on the wall and entered the tunnel, making sure to close the door behind him. Slipping out of the exit, and with one last glance back at the palace, Ryou ran away from his home, searching for Bakura.

* * *

**Alverna:** End of chapter.

**Yugi:** Not much of a song.

**Atemu:** I think it has to do with the fact chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 all have songs. The next chapter also has a song, so she shortened this one but kept some of the lyrics as words that were spoken.

**Malik:** Didn't she do this in 'The Little Merman' and 'Egyptian Nights' as well?

**Marik:** Yep. And don't ask when 'Egyptian Nights' will be updated. We're currently waiting for our co-writers part.

**Alverna:** Please review and let me know how this chapter was. I personally hated writing theses last two chapters.

* * *

**01-18-2013:** Like I said on top, I originally didn't put in the song, but now I am. I was able to get over my song eversion. Thank you again, shinyglaceon1234, for noticing I had edited and put up the wrong chapters in Chapters 8 and 9.


	10. Chapter 10

**Alverna:** Here's chapter 10. I love the song in it.

**Marik:** This coming from the person who claimed to have enough of writing songs just two days ago?

**Malik:** Apparently. And you're updating fast.

**Alverna:** To be honest, the rest of this story is typed up. I'm just spacing my posting so people have time to review.

**Joey:** That makes sense.

**Seto:** Alverna does not own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 10

* * *

Running as fast as his sphinx form would allow, Ryou raced down the same path Bakura took when fleeing the palace, stopping at the rock next to the stream.

"Bakura?" Ryou asked as he jumped to the top of the rock, and then into the stream in sadness. "Bakura."

Slumping in depression, Ryou caught a look at his reflection. To his shock, only half of his body was clearly visible. Leaping out of the water, he ran to the cave they had hid in during the rhino stampede.

"Bakura…" Ryou whispered sadly as the saw the sphinx wasn't there, and sat down, crying out of a broken heart.

As soon as night fell, Ryou picked himself up, and began walking again, this time through the savannah. When a pair of doves startled in front of him and flew off together, Ryou couldn't help but sing sadly.

_In a perfect world_

_One we've never known_

_We would never need _

_to face the world alone _

Still walking Ryou looked at the gazelle, which he had no desire to hunt as he turned away and into a small canopy of trees. There, many animal couples sat together, but Ryou followed the butterflies.

_They can have the world_

_We'll create our own_

_I may not be brave or strong or smart_

_But somewhere in my secret heart _

Jumping up onto a tree branch, Ryou looked to the sky as he kept singing. Seeing the rabbit and two lions' constellations in the sky, and remembering that it was only last night he and Bakura had pointed them out giggling with each other.

_I know love will find a way_

_Anywhere I go_

_I'm home_

_If you are there beside me _

Lying down on the branch, a depressed Ryou saw his reflection in the stream he was hanging over. Again, only half is clearly visible. Standing up again, at the rustle of grass, Ryou felt himself perk up before seeing it was only a frog.

_Like dark turning into day_

_Somehow we'll come through_

_Now that I've found you_

_Love will find a way_

Leaving the log, Ryou went to the burned area of the land, eventually sitting on a high knoll, head bowed in sadness.

Behind him was Bakura, who had heard Ryou singing. He was nervous, but he had to let Ryou know he was there, so he continued the song.

_I was so afraid_

_Now I realize_

_Love is never wrong_

_And so it never dies_

Ryou sighed as he thought he heard Bakura's voice on the wind. But as it got stronger, he felt his heart lift as he turned, and saw Bakura really standing there.

_There's a perfect world_

_Shining in your eyes _

Smiling, Ryou joined Bakura in song as the stared at each other, just happy they were there, and not separated.

_And if only they could feel it too_

_The happiness I feel with you_

Finally, not being able to hold back, they raced to each other, changing to their human forms, and holding the one they loved in a tight hug.

_They'd know love will find a way_

_Anywhere we go_

_We're home_

_If we are there together _

Ryou kissed Bakura on his new scar, making him startle as Ryou slipped away with a smirk. Catching on, Bakura chased after him as they kicked ash and dust at each other, laughing and smiling as their song rose.

_Like dark turning into day_

_Somehow we'll come through_

_Now that I've found you_

_Love will find a way_

Coming to a stop on top of a hill, Bakura knelt down and reveled a new plant growing under the ash, as Atemu did for him earlier that day. Smiling, Ryou hugged Bakura again as the wind swirled around them, clearing away the ash with a soft breeze.

_I know love will find a way _

Two butterflies flutter around the sphinxes as the pulled apart, but didn't let go. Bakura felt himself brighten at the sight of them, and rushed off after them, laughing. Confused for two seconds, Ryou finally realized that Bakura was _playing_.

Laughing, Ryou pursued the elder sphinx and they wrestled briefly, tumbling down next to the edge of a stream, where Bakura kissed Ryou on the cheek, making him giggle.

"Hey, look." Bakura nodded to the stream, where their reflections had melded together. "We are one."

"What?" Ryou asked softly as he realized what Bakura said.

"Let's get out of here." Bakura grinned as he jumped up excitedly, not having heard Ryou's question. "We'll run away together! And start a pride... all our own."

"Bakura," Ryou chuckled as he hugged Bakura again, ignoring the smoldering look in his eyes, "we have to go back."

"You're kidding." Bakura gasped, putting his hands on Ryou's shoulders, trying to make him see reason. "But we're finally together!"

"Our place is with our pride." Ryou replied gently. "Bakura, if we run away, they will be divided forever."

Bakura considered the fact, but didn't seem entirely convinced as he recalled what happened that day with both prides.

"Well," Bakura resigned as Ryou pulled out a puppy dog face he had learned from his mother, "I suppose someone has to stop this madness. I'll race you back!"

Laughing, the two run off together, back in the direction of the palace.

* * *

In the outlands, Anzu rallied her forces, exiting the termite mound, ignoring Malik's soft complaining growls. He would rather be with Marik than fight the pharaoh.

(**A/N:** Oh my Ra, it's the end of the world. Malik doesn't want to fight the pharaoh!)

When the pride crossed a river on the way to attack the palace, they got all muddy. Overhead, thunder rumbled.

* * *

At the palace, rain began to fall as Joey and Mokuba ran through the hallways.

"I can't believe we lost him again." Joey complained as they entered his and Seth's room. "This has got to be the eight thousandth time! I thought you were gonna watch him!"

"Me?" Mokuba gasped. "You were gonna watch him!"

"I thought you were gonna watch him when I went to see Isis!" Joey shot back.

"Why did you see her?" Mokuba asked in confusion.

"That's beside the point!" Joey yelled. "You were gonna watch him!"

"Watch this!" Mokuba shouted as he bounced onto the bed and them on top of Joey.

"Ow!" Joey quickly flipped the two of them so he was pinning Mokuba. "Take that!"

"What are you doing?" Atemu asked from the doorway with a small smirk at the all-out wrestling match.

"Good question!" Joey replied as he and Mokuba leapt to attention at the sight of the pharaoh. "Now let me ask you one."

"Hypothetical." Mokuba added.

"Very hypothetical." Joey agreed. "There's this guy…"

"But he's not a sphinx." Mokuba interjected.

"No! No, he's not a sphinx." Joey stuttered out, not noticing Atemu's amused look. "Definitely not a sphinx. And, uh... uh... his son, um, say... _vanished_."

"Ryou is gone?" Atemu asked angrily.

"Sire!" Mahad shouted as he and Seth raced into the room, panting heavily, and slightly wet from patrol duty. "The Outsiders are on the attack!"

"They're heading this way!" Seth added. "It's _war_, cousin!"

"Mahad, find Ryou!" Atemu ordered as he turned to Seth, Joey, and Mokuba. "We'll assemble the sphinxes. Move! Now!"

* * *

**Alverna:** I just seem to be suck on cliffhangers lately.

**Atemu:** You can say that again.

**Yugi:** Atemu, be nice.

**Bakura:** How many chapters are left?

**Alverna:** Not telling, people freak out when I do.

**Ryou:** Please review and let us know we're still loved!


	11. Chapter 11

**Alverna:** Chapter 11. SQEEEEE!

**Atemu:** What's with her?

**Yugi:** She got herself a laptop so she's excited.

**Seto:** Big deal.

**Joey: **Not all of us are rich enough to own 15 laptops at once, ya know.

**Alverna:** Boys. I don't own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 11

* * *

Rain pelted the two prides as they closed in on the field of battle and buzzards circled overhead. Ryou and Bakura were running as fast as they could, knowing it was too dangerous to fly in the thunderstorm.

Anzu took a place on top of a rock where she could look down on the palace sphinxes, who were glaring as they finished lining up.

"Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah!" Joey teased as he made moose ears with his hands, earning a couple of smacks upside the head from Seth and Mokuba.

"It's over, Atemu!" Anzu grinned evilly as she ignored the rain dripping from her face. "I have dreamed of nothing else for years!"

"Boy, does she need a hobby." Joey muttered to Mokuba, who nodded in agreement.

"This is your last chance, Anzu." Atemu warned. "Go home."

"I am home!" Anzu proclaimed as the lightning flashed and thunder cracked. "Attack!"

Changing into their lion forms, and with roars, the two opposing lines advanced towards each other, first walking, picking up speed until they hit at a full run, and meeting in the middle of the sodden land.

"Go for the eyes!" Anzu coached her pride from atop her high rock, grinning at the battle results. "Break his jaw! Hit him low! Get them! Do what you must!"

On the other side of the canyon Atemu had been knocked into earlier that day, Bakura and Ryou watched as mud from the battle is rose. Glancing at each other worried, they rush towards the battlefield at full speed, despite what the outcome may be.

"What do we do?" Mokuba asked as he and Joey ducked behind a rock, flinching at the pained cries. "What do we do?"

"There's only one thing we can do, Mokuba." Joey replied. "'When the going gets tough, the tough get going.' That's our motto!"

"I thought our motto was 'Hakuna Matata'!" Mokuba protested.

"Mokuba, stop living in the past!" Joey sighed. "We need a new motto. Yeha!"

The two raced into the battle with their attempts of a battle cry, being stopped short by one of Anzu's snarling sphinxes.

"Like I said: Let's get going!" Joey yelled as he and Mokuba turned tail and ran, leading a good four of Anzu's sphinxes after them.

Running to the area covered with logs, Ryou and Bakura leap across, nearly falling at times, but making it safely as the logs being to shift.

"Where's your pretty son, Yugi?" Malik taunted as he appeared on a ledge above Yugi.

"Malik!" Yugi growled in anger.

Malik leaped down onto Yugi, making the two roll as they fought fiercely with Yugi ending up on top, giving him the advantage with his claws and teeth.

Joey and Mokuba were having worse luck. They currently were backed up against a wall, surrounded. Mokuba put his face to the wall, covering his eyes as Joey glanced around, panicking before getting an idea.

"Mokuba, change into a skunk."

"I don't have anything to lose." Mokuba muttered and did what Joey asked, not expecting to get picked up with his rear facing the sphinxes.

"Don't anybody move!" Joey threatened as he held Mokuba somewhat like a gun. "This thing's loaded. I'll let you have it!"

The sphinxes shriek in terror and turn to flee over the horizon.

"Yeah!" Joey chuckled as he set Mokuba back down. "Talk about your winds of war!"

Mokuba just growled, and sprayed Joey with his skunk musk.

* * *

Back on the battlefield, Anzu was laughing as she saw the battle turning in her favor.

"Atemu…" Anzu growled as she jumped down from her rock with two other sphinxes backing her up as she approached the pharaoh, "you're mine!"

Atemu roared as he fought of who several opponents at once, not noticing Anzu until she knocked him down. With a growl, he got back to his feet, and the two began circling each other.

The sphinxes stop their battles and watched Atemu and Anzu prepare to fight one-on-one. Rearing up with roars, they prepared to land their first blows, but movement to the side caught their attention.

Ryou and Bakura leap into the scene, growling as they stood between the two enemies.

"Ryou?" Atemu asked in shock as Ryou took a serious look as his father spoke his name.

"Bakura!" Anzu growled as Bakura narrowed his eyes at her. "Move."

"Stand aside." Atemu ordered his son.

"Father, this has to stop." Ryou replied firmly, shocking Atemu even more.

"You're even weaker than I thought." Anzu snarled at her son. "Get out of the way!"

"You'll never hurt Ryou… or Atemu." Bakura replied with his own growl, making Anzu gasp. "Not while I am here."

"Stay out of this!" Atemu recovered and tried to get Ryou to move again.

"A wise Pharaoh once told me, 'We are one'." Ryou replied gently. "I didn't understand what he meant two years ago… but I do now."

"But... they-" Atemu gave mild protest, thrown off at the fact Ryou was bringing something from that long ago up.

"Them? Us." Ryou replied as he and his father looked at the sphinxes gathered. "Look at them... they are us. What differences do you see? Aren't we all part of the Circle of Life?"

Atemu looked with Ryou and could not tell where outlander and palace sphinxes separated from each other. Malik saw this too as his head raised up, his face wearing one of shock and speechlessness.

The battle stopped as Ryou and Atemu look at one another, Ryou smiling at his father. The clouds part and the rain stops as Atemu glances up and sees one star shining brightly out of all the others.

Finally, and truly smiling, Atemu steps forward and nuzzles his son as he finally understood what he taught two years ago.

They were one.

* * *

**Alverna:** Aw.

**Bakura:** WTF! You're leaving it there?

**Alverna:** Yes.

**Ryou:** Relax Bakura. It would have been to long otherwise.

**Marik and Malik:** Please review and you'll see the next chapter tomorrow!


	12. Chapter 12

**Alverna:** Chapter 12. The last chapter.

**Bakura:** Aw man! Already?

**Ryou:** It was nice being a main character while it lasted.

**Malik:** Easy for you to say.

**Marik:** Agreed.

**Alverna:** Knock it off. I don't own Yugioh or The Lion King 2. Enjoy the last chapter.

* * *

Chapter 12

* * *

"Malik… now!" Anzu hissed, sick of the mushy sight of Ryou and Atemu getting all 'family'.

"No, Anzu!" Malik replied firmly as he walked over to Atemu's side, turning to face Anzu. "Ryou and Bakura are right. _Enough_."

Some of Anzu's other sphinxes look shocked at the proclamation. Anzu however, grinned madly. Very madly.

"If you will not fight... then you will die as well." Anzu chuckled, before panicking as her whole pride leaves her and stand with Atemu, Ryou, and Bakura. "Where are you going? Get back here!"

"Let it go, Anzu." Atemu ordered. "It's time to put the past behind us."

"I'll never let it go!" Anzu snarled, despite standing alone.

Cracking diverted Atemu's attention as more logs pile up in the river, forming a dam.

"This is for you, Aknadin!" Anzu whispered to herself.

Anzu roared as he leapt at Atemu, but was caught by Ryou in mid-flight, making the two roll over the edge of the canyon.

"Ryou!" Atemu shouted as he saw his son disappear, leading the group that looked over the edge of the canyon at the tumbling pair.

"Ryou!" Bakura called, changing to his human form in his horror, as he watched the two sphinxes tumble down further.

"Ryou!" Atemu called again as he jumped down the slope, trying to reach his son.

As they fell even further, Ryou and Anzu separated, each managing to catch holds on the ledge. Ryou was above Anzu, who was hanging by her front paws above the canyon floor.

"Hold on, Ryou!" Yugi called, his fear jumping as the dam of logs breaks, making the river swell to many times its normal flow. "Atemu, the river!"

Atemu growled as he saw the water fill the canyon, and quickly leapt from rock face to rock face, his wing still injured from the attack the previous day.

Anzu hung precariously from the canyon wall, Ryou, in human form, was above on a small ledge.

"Anzu, give me your paw!" Ryou instructed as he extended his hand.

With a growl, Anzu swiped her claws at Ryou, who pulled back. Anzu slipped further down with a scared glance at the tumbling water and logs below.

"Anzu, come on..." Ryou coaxed as she kept slipping. "I'll help you..."

But it was too late. Anzu slid further down the rock wall, scrabbling for traction on the rock, but was unable to climb up, and fell back-first into the churning water below. The water and logs carry her under, and the flow in the canyon gradually subsides.

Bakura looked down where his mother fell, closed his eyes, and let out a sigh as Joey placed a hand on his shoulder, much like after the rhino stampede.

"Ryou." Atemu said softly behind his son.

"Father." Ryou whispered as he took his father's hand. "I tried..."

* * *

Climbing back to the top, Yugi, in human form, was the first one to greet them.

"Ryou." Yugi whispered as he embraced his son in a hug.

"Wow!" Mokuba said as gave Ryou a brief hug. "That was really brave!"

"You can say that again." Joey agreed as he hugged Ryou as well.

Ryou smiled as he pulled out of the hug, and approach Bakura.

"Bakura." Ryou whispered as he walked into Bakura's arms.

"Oh, Ryou." Bakura sighed as he held Ryou tightly.

"Bakura…" Atemu said, getting the younger sphinx's attention. "I was wrong. You belong here."

"Yes!" Ryou cheered as he jumped onto Bakura's back from behind.

"Let's go home." Atemu sighed as he turned to the ex-outlanders. "All of us."

* * *

Roughly a year later, a few new facts had been discovered.

First, was that Malik was really Isis and Mahad's son. He had been kidnapped right after his birth, and the palace worker had said Malik had been a stillborn, so he was never looked for by his parents. And he was happily mated to Marik, who pulled pranks around the palace with Bakura from time to time.

Second, Yugi and Joey had both been pregnant. Yugi gave birth to a boy he and Atemu had named Timaeus. Joey gave birth to twin boys he and Seth had named Critias and Hermos.

However, today was a special day. Ryou and Bakura, whose scar had healed rather nicely, had become mates, blessed by Pegasus, who apparently thought a blessing was shaking his staff over the couple.

"I love moments like this." Joey sighed as he held Hermos.

"Yeah..." Mokuba sighed as he held Critias.

Atemu and Yugi, who passed Timaeus to Mana, lead the way out of the throne room, he members of the court bowing as Ryou and Bakura followed. Both couples make their way to the balcony where all of Egypt came to hear announcements. It was there that Atemu and Ryou had been presented by Pegasus after their births, and also where Atemu had proclaimed himself as pharaoh after upsuring his uncle.

Changing to their lion forms, Atemu roared, followed by Bakura, and finally all four roar together, with the pride answering.

The clouds part and the group is illuminated by a sunbeam. As the breeze blew past, Atemu heard a familiar voice from the clouds.

"Well done, my son." Aknankanon whispered on the wind.

Atemu smiled as his father's spirit circles around him. Pegasus nodded and smiled as the prediction Aknankanon had made after Ryou's birth came into completion.

"We are one."

THE END

* * *

**Alverna:** I loved this story!

**Yugi:** And PandaEars96, we're not doing The Lion King 1 1/2.

**Atemu:** We've only seen it once, and really don't see how we can tie it all in with Joey, Seth, and Mokuba. You can try if you want, but Alverna's not going to do it.

**Alverna: **Please review anyway!


End file.
